12 Facts About Nils Middelboe

Nils Middelboe was a Danish amateur track and field athlete and football player as well as a football referee and leader.

Nils Middelboe represented the Denmark national football team at the 1908,1912 and 1920 Summer Olympics, winning silver medals in 1908 and 1912.

Nils Middelboe was the first ever goalscorer for the Denmark national football team, when he scored in Denmark's debut game at the 1908 Summer Olympics.

Nils Middelboe was a qualified lawyer and during his time at Chelsea he was employed at a bank in London.

Nils Middelboe would have gained thrice the salary as solely a professional footballer than he did as a banker-cum-amateur footballer, but he was "by no means mad about football".

Nils Middelboe was a man of great height for his time, which led to the media naming him "The Great Dane".

Nils Middelboe was well respected as a gentleman of the game.

Nils Middelboe is buried in the Cemetery of Holmen in Copenhagen.

From 1904 to 1913 Nils Middelboe won five KBU football championships with KB, while he excelled in athletics competitions.

Nils Middelboe was a Danish triple jump and 4 x 100 metres relay champion, and he set Danish records in the 800 metres and triple jump.

Nils Middelboe won his 11th cap for Denmark in a friendly against Sweden, at the making him Denmark's all-time leading appearance maker.

Nils Middelboe is renowned as the first non-British international to play for Chelsea, during his stint at the club between 1913 and 1923.