Last update 7 May, 2024 by Alberto Llopis
The case of Thomas Christiansen is one of the most unusual in Spanish football.. In 1993, He jumped into the fray a young Danish Spanish mother, which made it easier to have dual citizenship. He was a young striker who had not yet turned twenty years and played for Barcelona B, Barca subsidiary, which at that time was the “Dream Team” the Johan Cruyff.
In 1993 He had uncovered as a good scorer in the second division with Barcelona B and had left some flashes of future crack which caused him to be noticed from the Danish federation to join your selection. The Danes, by the way, were the direct rival of the Spanish to access the USA World Cup 1994. Classification that Spain finally won after beating the Danes in Seville with a goal from Hierro.
Thomas Christiansen's debut with Spain
This interest of the Scandinavian team and the dual nationality of Thomas Christiansen, They made an unusual event occurred. The Royal Spanish Football Federation and Javier Clemente, Spanish coach of the time, they decided in fact never seen and possibly not repeated, summon the player to play for the Spanish team and avoid that he could play with the Danes.
You may wonder, Where is the unusual fact?, because the player had not debuted in the Primera Division, nor she had worn the shirt of the first team of Barcelona. He was a player who had poked his head slightly by the Second Division and little else, He had not done anything. The fact raised much expectation.
The truth is that the baggage of Christiansen with Spain was two caps and a goal, in a match against Latvia in qualifying for the American World. Hence his story ended with Spain, era 1993. His career lasted until 2006.
The player despite being international with Spain never entered into the plans of Johan Cruyff who declined to give ball players like his son, Jordi, firecrackers or as diverse as Ekelund, Wistchge or later Korneiev. Players of a level that is at least debatable and on the list of the worst signings in the history of Barcelona.
He never played an official match with the Barça first team
Thomas Chrirstiansen He was international with Spain and He never debuted with the Barcelona first team shirt, at least in an official match. He wandered on loan from Sporting Gijon, Osasuna and Racing Santander before the Barcelona gave him the passport 1996 without ever having played with them. In the Spanish selection, They had already forgotten him.
After already out of Barcelona, He was in Oviedo and teams like Villarreal but its wake had petered out, as many cases of young players who are overrated and exploited prematurely, before the age of thirty he was a forgotten player and lot.
Then he left to play in Segunda B with Terrasa and the Greek League and when nobody was hard for him, there was another unusual event in his career, I sign for him Bochum of the Bundesliga and triumphed. Ten years after his debut with Spain was the top scorer Bundelisga, It was in season 2002/03 and marked 21 goals. No one remembered him for selection at that time, football things.
Thomas Christiansen's path continued on the bench
After his withdrawal, The Spanish-Danish began a career on the bench, first as Luis Milla's assistant and then as first coach in teams like AEK., Apoel, Leeds United and the Panama national team among others.