Alexander Ludwig (footballer, born 1993)
{{Short description|Danish footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name = Alexander Ludwig
|image =
|image_size =
|caption =
|fullname = Alexander Ludwig
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|06|30|df=y}}
|birth_place = Copenhagen, Denmark
|position = Centre-back
|currentclub = Horsens
|clubnumber = 33
|youthyears1 = 1998–2005
|youthclubs1 = Fremad Amager
|youthyears2 = 2005–2008
|youthclubs2 = Tårnby
|youthyears3 = 2008–2009
|youthclubs3 = Midtjylland
|years1 = 2010–2012 |clubs1 = Midtjylland |caps1 = 1 |goals1 = 0
|years2 = 2012–2014 |clubs2 = Vendsyssel |caps2 = 57 |goals2 = 2
|years3 = 2014–2017 |clubs3 = HB Køge |caps3 = 91 |goals3 = 4
|years4 = 2017–2018 |clubs4 = Horsens |caps4 = 38 |goals4 = 3
|years5 = 2018–2019 |clubs5 = OB |caps5 = 28 |goals5 = 1
|years6 = 2019– |clubs6 = Horsens |caps6 = 127 |goals6 = 3
|club-update = 5 December 2024
}}
Alexander Ludwig (born 30 June 1993) is a Danish professional footballer who plays for AC Horsens as a centre-back in Danish Superliga.
After playing in the youth academies of various clubs in the Copenhagen area, Ludwig made his senior debut for FC Midtjylland in 2011. He would then go on to become a regular starter for Vendsyssel and HB Køge in the Danish 1st Division, the second tier of the Danish football league system, before returning to top tier football at AC Horsens in 2017. Strong performances led to him being picked up by Odense Boldklub, but after a disappointing season where he was benched after suffering a knee injury halfway through the season, Ludwig returned to Horsens in August 2019.
Career
=Early career=
Born in Copenhagen, Ludwig started his career in 1998 at Fremad Amager before moving to Tårnby Boldklub in 2005.{{cite web |title=OB køber Alexander Ludwig |url=https://www.ob.dk/nyhedsarkiv/ob-koeber-alexander-ludwig/ |website=ob.dk |publisher=Odense Boldklub |accessdate=7 July 2020 |date=12 June 2018}} At age 15, he was signed by FC Midtjylland and attached to their youth academy in Ikast. Ludwig made his senior debut on 30 April 2011, at age 17, in a Danish Superliga match against AaB, which Midtjylland lost 0–2.{{cite web|url=https://www.superstats.dk/kampe/3869 |title=AaB 2-0 FC Midtjylland |publisher=superstats.dk }}
=Vendsyssel=
Ludwig was signed by Vendsyssel FF in July 2012, which at that time still went under the name FC Hjørring.{{cite web |url=https://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/Forsvarsduo-afslutter-FCHs-indkoebsraid/ |title=Forsvarsduo afslutter FCH's indkøbsraid |publisher=bold.dk |author=Jesper Helmin |date=27 June 2012 }}
After he had established himself as a starter for the club, Vendsyssel offered him a new contract in 2014, but Ludwig declined.{{cite web |url=https://nordjyske.dk/nyheder/dropper-baade-vendsyssel-og-hobro/b65fb607-a3fe-41b0-93ae-165c67bc1ecb |title=Dropper både Vendsyssel og Hobro |publisher=Nordjyske |date=21 June 2014 |author=Claus Jensen}} As Ludwig's contract expired, clubs from the Superliga and Danish 1st Division were keen to sign him, but in the end he chose to sign with HB Køge, penning a three-year contract with the Danish second tier club.{{cite web |last1=Anker-Møller |first1=Kristian |title=Officielt: HB Køge giver tre år til Ludwig |url=https://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/officielt-hb-koege-giver-tre-aar-til-ludwig/ |website=bold.dk |accessdate=7 July 2020 |date=22 June 2014}}
=HB Køge=
Ludwig made his debut for Køge in a 1–1 away draw against Skive IK on 25 July 2014.{{cite web |title=Skive vs. HB Køge - 25 July 2014 - Soccerway |url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2014/07/25/denmark/1st-division/skive-ik/hb-koge/1699567/ |website=int.soccerway.com |publisher=Perform Group |accessdate=7 July 2020}} He scored his first goal for the club two months later, netting the 1–1 equalizer the 84th minute in a home match against Brønshøj, before Bruninho scored the winner for Køge four minutes later.{{cite web |title=Hvor ondt kan det blive for BB ? |url=http://www.2700-netavisen.dk/sport/arkiv_sport/hvor-ondt-kan-det-blive-for-bb/ |website=2700-netavisen.dk |publisher=2700 Netavisen |accessdate=7 July 2020 |date=5 September 2014}}{{cite web |title=HB Køge vs. Brønshøj - 5 September 2014 |url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2014/09/05/denmark/1st-division/hb-koge/bronshoj-bk/1699643/ |website=int.soccerway.com |publisher=Perform Group |accessdate=7 July 2020}} Ludwig finished the season with 31 total appearances, in which he scored two goals.{{cite web |title=Denmark - A. Ludwig - Profile |url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/alexander-ludwig/187251/ |website=int.soccerway.com |publisher=Perform Group |accessdate=7 July 2020}}
Ludwig had a bad start to his 2015–16 season, suffering a knee injury in the season debut against Lyngby Boldklub on 30 July 2015 which kept him out for two months.{{cite web |last1=Nøhr |first1=Mikkel |title=HB Køge-forsvarer ude i to måneder |url=https://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/hb-koege-forsvarer-ude-i-to-maaneder/ |website=bold.dk |accessdate=7 July 2020 |date=30 July 2015}} He made his return to the starting eleven on 27 September, helping Køge advance in Danish Cup by scoring in a 2–0 win over AC Horsens.{{cite web |last1=Helmin |first1=Jesper |title=HB Køge skød hul på Horsens |url=https://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/hb-koege-skoed-hul-paa-horsens/ |website=bold.dk |accessdate=7 July 2020 |date=23 September 2015}}{{cite web |last1=Helmin |first1=Jesper |title=Ludwig: Kunne ikke være skrevet bedre |url=https://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/ludwig-kunne-ikke-vaere-skrevet-bedre/ |website=bold.dk |accessdate=7 July 2020 |date=23 September 2015}} In the following league match Ludwig was in the starting eleven again and contributed to keeping another clean sheet as his club drew 0–0 away against FC Fredericia on 27 September.{{cite web |title=Fredericia vs. HB Køge - 27 September 2015 |url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2015/09/27/denmark/1st-division/fc-fredericia/hb-koge/2046616/ |website=int.soccerway.com |publisher=Perform Group |accessdate=7 July 2020}}
On 29 November 2016, Ludwig was named Player of the Year for HB Køge after making 36 appearances and keeping 15 clean sheets throughout 2016.{{cite web |last1=Blond |first1=Mikael |title=Ludwig årets spiller i HB Køge |url=https://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/ludwig-aarets-spiller-i-hb-koege/ |website=bold.dk |accessdate=7 July 2020 |date=29 November 2016}}
=Horsens=
On 8 June 2016, Ludwig signed a two-year contract with Danish Superliga club AC Horsens, after their head coach Bo Henriksen had referred to him as his "dream player".{{cite web |last1=Nøhr |first1=Mikkel |title=AC Horsens henter Alexander Ludwig |url=https://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/ac-horsens-henter-alexander-ludwig/ |website=bold.dk |accessdate=7 July 2020 |date=8 June 2017}}{{cite web |last1=Jensen |first1=Kenneth |title=Horsens forstærker sig: Henter 23-årig midtstopper |url=https://www.tipsbladet.dk/nyhed/superliga/horsens-forstaerker-sig-henter-23-aarig-midtstopper |website=tipsbladet.dk |publisher=Tipsbladet |accessdate=8 July 2020 |date=8 June 2017}} He made his debut on 14 July, playing the full match in a 2–1 away win over rivals AGF, marking his return to Danish top-tier football since his sole appearance for Midtjylland in 2011.{{cite web |last1=Nøhr |first1=Mikkel |title=Ludwig: Fantastisk start i AC Horsens |url=https://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/ludwig-fantastisk-start-i-ac-horsens/ |website=bold.dk |accessdate=8 July 2020 |date=18 July 2017}} Ludwig would have a strong season in the centre of defense alongside Bubacarr Sanneh,{{cite web |last1=Skovsgaard Tøfting |first1=Nicolai |title=Bo H: Ludwig har gjort Sanneh god |url=https://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/bo-h-ludwig-har-gjort-sanneh-god/ |website=bold.dk |accessdate=8 July 2020 |date=28 November 2017}} helping an overperforming Horsens-team reach the championship round where they eventually ended sixth in the league table. He capped off his season with 38 total appearances in which he scored three goals.
=OB=
On 12 June 2018, Ludwig signed a four-year deal with OB.{{cite web |last1=Schmidt |first1=Martin |title=Alexander Ludwig skifter fra Horsens til OB |url=https://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/alexander-ludwig-skifter-fra-horsens-til-ob/ |website=bold.dk |accessdate=8 July 2020 |date=12 June 2018}} He made his debut for the club on 15 July against newly promoted Vendsyssel FF, his former club, which ended in a disappointing 3–2 loss away at Nord Energi Arena.{{cite web |last1=Lillelund |first1=Benjamin |title=Ludwig faldet godt til i OB |url=https://www.tipsbladet.dk/nyhed/superliga/ludwig-faldet-godt-til-i-ob |website=tipsbladet.dk |publisher=Tipsbladet |accessdate=8 July 2020 |date=19 July 2018}} After a challenging first half of the season, where he was in and out of the starting lineup, Ludwig suffered a tear in the posterior cruciate ligament of his knee, which kept him out for some months.{{cite web |last1=Rasmussen |first1=Leif |title=OB-stoppers hemmelige skade |url=https://fyens.dk/artikel/ob-stoppers-hemmelige-skade |website=fyens.dk |publisher=Fyens Stiftstidende |accessdate=8 July 2020 |date=18 December 2018}} He made his return to the pitch in a 2–1 win over AGF in March,{{cite web |last1=Dalgård |first1=Jonas |title=OB-stopper i comeback: Kæmpe forløsning |url=https://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/ob-stopper-i-comeback-kaempe-forloesning/ |website=bold.dk |accessdate=8 July 2020 |date=13 March 2019}} but would increasingly appear as a substitute for OB, especially into the next season.{{cite web |author1=Ritzau |title=Bænket forsvarer overvejer sin situation i OB |url=https://www.midtjyllandsavis.dk/artikel/dd7acb70-a9e5-3356-a23e-1b6a825b2464/ |website=midtjyllandsavis.dk |publisher=Midtjyllands Avis |accessdate=8 July 2020 |date=10 August 2019}}
=Return to AC Horsens=
On 14 August 2019, AC Horsens announced that Ludwig had returned to the club on a four-year contract,{{cite web |title=AC Horsens forstærker defensiven med Ludwig |url=https://achorsens.dk/ac-horsens-forstaerker-defensiven-med-ludwig |website=achorsens.dk |publisher=AC Horsens |accessdate=8 July 2020 |date=14 August 2019 |archive-date=14 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814133500/https://achorsens.dk/ac-horsens-forstaerker-defensiven-med-ludwig |url-status=dead }} as a replacement for the outgoing defender Sivert Heltne Nilsen.{{cite web |last1=Margren |first1=Sara |title=Horsens henter gammel kending i OB |url=https://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/horsens-henter-gammel-kending-i-ob/ |website=bold.dk |accessdate=8 July 2020 |date=14 August 2019}} He made his return to the pitch for Horsens on 19 August, five days after signing, in a 2–0 away loss to AGF on Aarhus Stadium, where he started in the centre of defense next to Malte Kiilerich.{{cite web |title=AGF vs. Horsens - 19 August 2019 - Soccerway |url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2019/08/19/denmark/superliga/agf-aarhus/ac-horsens/3026919/ |website=int.soccerway.com |publisher=Perform Group |accessdate=8 July 2020}} On 3 June 2020, Ludwig was voted into the "Team of the Week" of the Danish Superliga, after stringing together some strong performances in a rejuvenated Horsens-defense, beating league leader FC Midtjylland 1–0.{{cite web |title=Rundens Hold i 25. spillerunde - 3F Superliga |url=http://www.superliga.dk/artikel/rundens-hold-i-25-spillerunde |website=superliga.dk |publisher=3F Superliga |accessdate=8 July 2020 |date=3 June 2020}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerway|alexander-ludwig/187251}}
{{AC Horsens squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ludwig, Alexander}}
Category:Danish men's footballers
Category:Vendsyssel FF players
Category:Odense Boldklub players
Category:Danish Superliga players
Category:Danish 1st Division players
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Footballers from Copenhagen