Cigarettes, Drinks and Goals with the Sock: The “Mayor of Verona” Elkjaer

Not long ago, we talked about the Italian municipal elections and the election of DamianoTommasi as mayor of Verona. While most ballots had his name on them, it wouldn’t be surprising if there were a few invalid ballots with the name of another former footballer. You see, in Verona, they never forget the incredible and unexpected championship won by the local Hellas Verona in 1984-85. It was the only title in the club’s history, and a key figure in that historic Scudetto was the Danish player PrebenElkjaer. About forty years before DamianoTommasi became the city’s mayor, another footballer held the title of “ilsindaco,” the mayor of Verona—without the need for an election. By popular vote. This is what the fans of Hellas Verona called him for his contribution to that historic Scudetto.

And if you think it was something temporary, you’re mistaken. For years afterward, during municipal elections, there were always a few ballots—some say hundreds—with the name PrebenElkjaer on them. The Danish player’s nickname was never forgotten; he continues to be the mayor. In fact, just last year, on April 1st, one of the local news sites ran their usual April Fool’s joke, claiming that Elkjaer had decided to run for mayor. But why was a Danish footballer so beloved in an Italian city that he even became an honorary citizen in 2018? Let’s take it from the top.

It’s Coach Weisweiler and to the right, with the wild hair, that’s Elkjaer. You can guess how that went.

Elkjaer was born in Copenhagen, where he began playing football. He was a striker with tremendous skills, a very complete forward who could score in various ways. His talent was noticed in Germany, and thus, before he even turned 20, he moved to the Bundesliga. He became a player for Cologne and even won titles with them. The term “won” might be a bit of an exaggeration, though, as his appearances were few, very few. You see, young Preben was a rebellious character who loved cigarettes, alcohol, partying, and women. On the other side was one of Germany’s most significant coaches at the time, HennesWeisweiler, who had won titles with Gladbach and Cologne and had little patience for childish behavior. There was no connection between the two. It’s said that during one practice, the German coach decided to call out the Dane. He approached him and said he’d heard that Elkjaer was at a club with a lovely lady and a bottle of whiskey. Elkjaer, unfazed, replied that it wasn’t true—he was with two women and a bottle of vodka.

With a cigarette in his mouth, he gives an interview after Denmark’s win over the Soviet Union

As one can imagine, Elkjaer didn’t last long in Germany. He found refuge in Belgium, specifically with Lokeren. There, he began scoring relentlessly, doing the same for the Danish national team. No, he didn’t change his lifestyle. He lived as he had before, with the same rebellious spirit. It’s said that in one international match, he swore at the referee in four different languages. Older fans might remember him with an exceptional Danish national team. At Euro 1984, they reached the semifinals, with Elkjaer scoring twice. However, he became the unfortunate one when he missed a crucial penalty in the semifinal against Spain. Two years later, at the 1986 World Cup, he was once again one of his national team’s top players. In a particularly tough group, Denmark finished ahead of the eventual finalist West Germany, Uruguay, and Scotland. Elkjaer scored against Scotland and made a hat-trick against Uruguay. The dream ended once again against Spain, this time with a heavy 1-5 loss after leading 1-0. His farewell would come at Euro 1988, meaning he would miss the 1992 upset.

Sometimes you watch old videos and think, “How much football has changed.”In this particular one, Elkjaer shows just how ahead of his time he was—speed, strength, dribbling, and excellent finishing.

Elkjaer’s journey with Denmark was closely linked to another German coach, Sepp Piontek. Despite the challenges Piontek faced with Elkjaer, the two developed a mutual respect that eventually turned into a close friendship over the years (especially after the Dane retired). Of course, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. The Danish national team was an expensive hobby for the striker, as he frequently paid fines—sometimes for smoking, other times for staying out late. If anyone returned to the hotel after 1 a.m., they’d be fined. Elkjaer had broken all the records. So much so that once, he paid the fine in advance before going out. “I knew I’d be back late, so I thought I’d better give him the money now because in two hours, I wouldn’t have anything left.” Another time, he swapped the videotape that Piontek was going to use for tactical analysis with an adult film. He was the first to joke around, but also the best in training. He always says that Piontek was the man who changed Danish football, taking them from amateurs to serious professionals.

After an exceptional five years with Lokeren and his performances at Euro 1984, Elkjaer moved to Italy and joined Verona. He never watered down his wine (or vodka, for that matter). The only change was that he had already matured. At a club in Lokeren, he met the love of his life, a lightning-fast romance, and they got married. He continued to be an unconventional footballer who combined strength and technique, playing everywhere and nowhere. He had the same freedom in Verona. He scored 32 goals in 91 matches for Verona—a number not overly impressive, but certainly not bad. We’re talking about the tough Serie A of the ’80s. But most importantly, he was there for the championship win, as mentioned earlier. Verona had finished 4th two years before and 8th the summer before the Danish player became a key figure. He first sought the opinion of his friend Michael Laudrup, who was playing in Italy. “The city is beautiful, and the team is good for a 5th-6th place finish,” he said, and that’s how Elkjaer was convinced. His wife, who wanted to live in the city of Romeo and Juliet, was thrilled when she saw the beauty of the Italian city. Elkjaer dove in headfirst, facing Maradona’sNapoli and securing a big win. In the next game, he scored for the first time and cemented his place in history when, against Juventus, his shoe came off, but he continued with just his sock and scored a unique goal:

It might not be clearly visible, but trust us. This incredible goal was scored without a shoe on the right foot.

Despite his bad reputation, Elkjaer got along just fine with coach Bagnoli. “We Danes are calm people who enjoy a good joke. I’m a bit more Danish than most. Bagnoli was a serious and honest man who believed in hard work. We understood each other with just a glance,” he would later tell La Repubblica. And he’s not wrong. There are rebellious players who hate training. But there are also others who, especially in times when football wasn’t as physically demanding, could be both bon vivants and hard workers. Elkjaer was one of those. When he stepped onto the pitch, he led by example. “My wife had no reason to be jealous,” he said about his late-night escapades. As for smoking: “I smoked before and after games. Those who say I smoked at halftime don’t remember correctly.”

The Verona players held onto first place, but even they couldn’t believe they were heading for the title. They told each other that their goal was just a spot in Europe. As Elkjaer recalls, they only realized they could win it all five matches before the end. And they made it happen. The “boss of Lokeren,” as he was called in Belgium, transformed into the “mayor of Verona,” scoring the goal that mathematically secured the title for his team. And he celebrated it in his own unique way:

After the stint in Italy, Elkjaer returned to his homeland, but injuries didn’t allow him to play for long. He retired at just 33. As mentioned earlier, Verona never won another championship and is usually a team fighting for survival in Serie A. Elkjaer hasn’t forgotten the city, as his son was born there. His home doesn’t resemble that of a retired footballer with medals and photos; it’s not football-themed at all. “There’s the Elkjaer that people know, and there’s the one I am in my everyday life,” he says. He reflected this duality in his autobiography (let’s not forget Elkjaer’s stature—he’s in Denmark’s Hall of Fame and one of the country’s most important footballers), where he writes about life after his playing career. He dabbled in coaching, owning a team, commentary, and even managing a sports channel. He also quit smoking—not immediately after football, of course, and not without a little drama. It was during the semifinal of Euro 1992 when he was commentating the match on TV with FlemmingToft. Elkjaer tossed a cigarette behind him, where his colleague’s papers were, and the press box caught fire, which Toft had to extinguish. In the end, it turned out to be a lucky charm for the bohemian Dane and his country.