Robert Faxe Skov (Danish pronunciation: [ˈʁopʌt ˈskʌwˀ];[4] born 20 May 1996) is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a winger or wing-back for German Bundesliga club Union Berlin. Born in Spain, he plays for the Denmark national team. With 29 goals in the 2018–19 season, he broke the record set by Ebbe Sand for most goals scored in a single Danish Superliga campaign.

Robert Skov
Skov playing for the Denmark Olympic team in 2016
Personal information
Full name Robert Faxe Skov[1]
Date of birth (1996-05-20) 20 May 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth Marbella, Spain[2]
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[3]
Position(s) Winger, wing-back
Team information
Current team
Union Berlin
Number 24
Youth career
Sejs-Svejbæk IF
Silkeborg
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2018 Silkeborg IF 99 (21)
2018–2019 Copenhagen 54 (30)
2019–2024 TSG Hoffenheim 114 (12)
2024– Union Berlin 3 (0)
International career
2013–2014 Denmark U18 5 (2)
2014–2015 Denmark U19 9 (2)
2016–2019 Denmark U21 25 (11)
2019– Denmark 14 (7)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 November 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:43, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

Club career

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Silkeborg

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Skov came up through the youth academy at Silkeborg, making his league debut for the club on 16 May 2013 in a 1–1 home draw with Midtjylland. He came on at 16 years old, as an 81st minute substitute for Jeppe Illum.[5] He scored his first league goal for the club on 19 October 2014 in a 2–1 away defeat to FC Midtjylland.[6] He scored in the 95th minute. Robert Skov played a key role in helping Silkeborg win the Danish 1st Division during the 2013/14 season, despite being only 17 years old.[7] During the 2016–17 Danish Superliga season, Skov helped Silkeborg avoid relegation by becoming their leading scorer, by scoring 10 league goals from his position on the wing.

Copenhagen

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In January 2018, Skov completed a move to Copenhagen.[8] The deal cost FC Copenhagen around 7.5 million Danish Kroner.[9] He made his league debut for the club on 10 February 2018 in a 5–1 home victory over Randers, playing all ninety minutes of the match.[10] He scored his first league goal for the club a little over two weeks later, on 25 February 2018 in a 1–0 home victory over Odense BK.[11] He scored in the 61st minute. He scored his first club hat-trick on 2 December 2018 in a 6–1 away victory over Horsens.[12] He scored in the 23rd, 66th, and 90th minutes. Not only did Robert Skov finish as top scorer in the 2018–19 season, but he broke the all time Danish Superliga record by scoring 29 league goals, that was 7 more goals than the second placed scorers in the league. The record was previously held by Ebbe Sand who scored 28 league goals in the 1998 season.[13] Skov was also named Danish Player of the Year for 2018.[14][15] By March 2019, Skov was rumoured to Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal after putting in outstanding performances in the Superliga.[16]

TSG Hoffenheim

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In July 2019, Skov signed a contract with TSG Hoffenheim for a transfer fee of €10 million.[17]

Skov scored his first goal for Hoffenheim in a 3–0 Bundesliga win over SC Paderborn on 1 November 2019, opening the scoring with a fierce 25-yard free-kick inside two minutes.[18]

On 21 May 2024, TSG Hoffenheim announced that he will leave the club after this season when his contract expires.[19]

Union Berlin

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On 4 September 2024, Skov signed with Union Berlin.[20]

International career

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In July 2016, Skov was included in the Denmark squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics.[21] He made substitute appearances in two group-stage matches, against South Africa[22] and Brazil,[23] alongside a substitute appearance against Nigeria in the quarterfinals.[24] During the group stage, he scored the winning goal in Denmark's 1–0 win over South Africa in the 69th minute. That goal scored by Skov, was ultimately the goal that secured Denmark's advance to the quarter finals.[22]

In May 2018 he was named in Denmark's preliminary 35-man squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.[25] However, he did not make the final 23.[26]

In March 2019 Skov was selected for the Denmark squad for the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying tournament.[27] He made his debut on 10 June 2019 in a Euro 2020 qualifier against Georgia, as a starter.[28]

In June 2020, he was included in the national team's bid for 2020 UEFA Euro, where the team unexpectedly reached the semi-finals.[29] He was able to represent Spain because he was born in Marbella but he chose to represent Denmark instead.[30]

Player profile

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Skov is two footed, although his left foot is his main scoring weapon. He is a skilled winger who is renowned for taking on defenders and dribbling past them. He is also well known for scoring many goals and creating numerous assists. He is especially making a name for himself as a free kick specialist, by blasting in goals on a regular basis. So much that Danish international player Christian Eriksen suggested that Skov would overtake him as being the number one free kick taker for the Danish national team.[31]

Personal life

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Skov's parents moved from Denmark to Spain in 1994 when his father took a job with a bank in Gibraltar, and as a result, Skov was born in Marbella. His family returned to Denmark when he was nine months old.[32]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 8 November 2024[33]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Silkeborg 2012–13 Danish Superliga 2 0 0 0 2 0
2013–14 Danish 1st Division 1 0 0 0 1 0
2014–15 Danish Superliga 24 1 1 1 25 2
2015–16 Danish 1st Division 24 6 1 0 25 6
2016–17 Danish Superliga 29 10 2 0 31 10
2017–18 19 4 3 1 22 5
Total 99 21 7 2 106 23
Copenhagen 2017–18 Danish Superliga 18 1 1 0 2[b] 0 21 1
2018–19 34 29 1 0 13[b] 2 48 31
2019–20 2 0 0 0 1[c] 1 3 1
Total 54 30 2 0 16 3 72 33
TSG Hoffenheim 2019–20 Bundesliga 31 4 2 0 33 4
2020–21 23 1 1 0 6[b] 1 30 2
2021–22 12 0 1 0 13 0
2022–23 23 3 2 0 25 3
2023–24 24 3 0 0 24 3
Total 113 12 6 0 6 1 125 12
Union Berlin 2024–25 Bundesliga 3 0 1 0 4 0
Career total 269 62 16 2 22 4 307 68
  1. ^ Includes Danish Cup, DFB-Pokal
  2. ^ a b c Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  3. ^ Appearance in UEFA Champions League

International

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As of match played 17 October 2023
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Denmark 2019 4 3
2020 4 1
2021 1 1
2022 2 0
2023 2 2
Total 14 7
As of match played 14 October 2023. Scores and results list Denmark's goal tally first.[34]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 5 September 2019 Victoria Stadium, Gibraltar   Gibraltar 1–0 6–0 UEFA Euro 2020 qualification
2. 15 November 2019 Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark   Gibraltar 1–0 6–0
3. 4–0
4. 11 October 2020 Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland   Iceland 3–0 3–0 2020–21 UEFA Nations League A
5. 28 March 2021 MCH Arena, Herning, Denmark   Moldova 7–0 8–0 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
6. 14 October 2023 Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark   Kazakhstan 2–0 3–1 UEFA Euro 2024 qualification
7. 3–0

Honours

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Silkeborg

Copenhagen

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "player profile".
  2. ^ "Robert Skov: Jeg kunne vel godt have spillet for et andet landshold" (in Danish). Tipsbladet. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  3. ^ "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™: List of Players: Denmark" (PDF). FIFA. 15 November 2022. p. 9. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 December 2022. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  4. ^ "Stort interview med sensationelle Skov: Havde aldrig turde drømme om det". FCK.dk. F.C. Copenhagen. 3 June 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  5. ^ "Silkeborg vs. Midtjylland – 16 May 2013 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  6. ^ "Midtjylland vs. Silkeborg – 19 October 2014 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  7. ^ "Stillinger og resultater".
  8. ^ "FCK OG SILKEBORG ENIGE OM TRANSFERAFTALE FOR ROBERT SKOV". fck.dk (in Danish). 19 January 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  9. ^ "SIF sælger Robert Skov til FC København – NY". euroinvester.dk (in Danish). 19 January 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  10. ^ "Copenhagen vs. Randers – 10 February 2018 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  11. ^ "Copenhagen vs. Odense – 25 February 2018 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  12. ^ "Horsens vs. Copenhagen – 2 December 2018 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  13. ^ "The Week in Numbers".
  14. ^ "Who is Robert Skov? Tottenham monitoring FC Copenhagen winger".
  15. ^ "News Archive » TSG Hoffenheim".
  16. ^ "Spurs make contact to sign starlet who scored 24 goals in just 26 games last season". talkSPORT. 26 June 2019. Archived from the original on 16 August 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  17. ^ "TSG 1899 Hoffenheim verpflichtet Robert Skov aus Kopenhagen" (in German). Bundesliga. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  18. ^ "Robert Skov and Jürgen Locadia on target as in-form Hoffenheim thrash Paderborn". Bundesliga. 1 November 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  19. ^ "Robert Skov verlässt die TSG" [Robert Skov leaves TSG Hoffenheim] (in German). TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. 21 May 2024.
  20. ^ "Union Sign Robert Skov". Union Berlin. 4 September 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  21. ^ "Her er Danmarks OL-trup". tipsbladet.dk (in Danish). 18 July 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  22. ^ a b "Denmark U23s vs. South Africa U23s – 7 August 2016 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  23. ^ "Denmark U23s vs. Brazil U23s – 10 August 2016 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  24. ^ "Nigeria U23s vs. Denmark U23s – 13 August 2016 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  25. ^ "Revealed: Every World Cup 2018 squad – Final 23-man lists". goal.com. 4 June 2018.
  26. ^ "Confirmed: Denmark cut ex-Arsenal star from FIFA World Cup squad". socceroos.com.au. 3 June 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  27. ^ "LIVE-TV: Landsholdsudtagelse til EM-kvalifikationen mod Schweiz". dr.dk (in Danish). 11 March 2019. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  28. ^ "Denmark v Georgia game report". UEFA. 10 June 2019.
  29. ^ "26 spillere klar til EM for Danmark" [26 players ready for the European Championship for Denmark]. Danish Football Association (in Danish). 25 May 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  30. ^ "Skov: A late bloomer on a voyage of discovery".
  31. ^ Chatterjee, Saikat (24 March 2019). "Christian Eriksen heaps praise on Spurs target Robert Skov". Sportslens. Archived from the original on 27 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  32. ^ Hoffenheim, TSG 1899. "Skov: a late bloomer on a voyage of discovery". www.tsg-hoffenheim.de. Retrieved 26 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  33. ^ a b c "R. Skov". Soccerway. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  34. ^ "Robert Skov". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  35. ^ a b "Robert Skov: 5 Things to Know About the Tottenham, Watford, Wolves & West Ham Transfer Target". 90Min. 5 March 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  36. ^ a b "Forårets Profil: Se alle de tidligere vindere". Tipsbladet (in Danish). 19 May 2022. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
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