Emil Riis Jakobsen

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Emil Riis Jakobsen

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|6|24|df=y}}

| birth_place = Hobro, Denmark

| height = 1.90 m

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| position = Forward

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Randers

| youthyears2 = 2015-2018

| youthclubs2 = Derby County

| years1 = 2018

| clubs1 = Derby County

| caps1 = 0

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2018

| clubs2 = → VVV-Venlo (loan)

| caps2 = 3

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2018–2020

| clubs3 = Randers

| caps3 = 59

| goals3 = 14

| years4 = 2020–2025

| clubs4 = Preston North End

| caps4 = 172

| goals4 = 41

| nationalyears1 = 2013–2014

| nationalteam1 = Denmark U16

| nationalcaps1 = 6

| nationalgoals1 = 1

| nationalyears2 = 2014

| nationalteam2 = Denmark U17

| nationalcaps2 = 2

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalyears3 = 2017

| nationalteam3 = Denmark U19

| nationalcaps3 = 2

| nationalgoals3 = 1

| nationalyears4 = 2018

| nationalteam4 = Denmark U20

| nationalcaps4 = 1

| nationalgoals4 = 1

| nationalyears5 = 2020

| nationalteam5 = Denmark U21

| nationalcaps5 = 5

| nationalgoals5 = 1

| club-update = 9 April 2025 (UTC)

}}

Emil Riis Jakobsen (born 24 June 1998) is a Danish professional footballer who last played as a forward for {{English football updater|PrestoNE}} club Preston North End.

Club career

=Early years=

Riis joined the youth academy of Randers at the age of 14. He went on to become the top-scorer of the under-17 team by scoring 24 goals in the youth league. After two trials, he joined the youth team of English club Derby County in July 2015.{{cite web|title=Randers FC' Emil Riis skifter til engelsk fodbold [Randers FC 'Emil Riis switches to English football]|url=https://amtsavisen.dk/randersfc/Randers-FC-Emil-Riis-skifter-til-engelsk-fodbold/artikel/206874|publisher=Amtsavisen|access-date=8 April 2018|language=da|date=30 July 2015}} After joining the club, he was assigned to the under-18 team.{{cite web|title=17-årig Derby-dansker: Scorede så mange mål, at de blev nødt til at købe mig [17-year-old Derby Dane: scored so many goals that they had to buy me]|url=https://www.dbold.dk/2015/08/17-aarig-derby-dansker-scorede-saa-mange-maal-at-de-blev-noedt-til-at-koebe-mig/|publisher=D Bold|access-date=8 April 2018|language=da|date=27 August 2015}} He further progressed on to play for the under-23 team and scored 11 goals as his side gained the Premier League 2 Division 1 status.{{cite web|title=Emil Riis Jakobsen|url=https://www.dcfc.co.uk/teams/player/emil-riis-jakobsen|publisher=Derby County F.C.|access-date=8 April 2018|archive-date=9 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220509015910/https://www.dcfc.co.uk/teams/player/emil-riis-jakobsen|url-status=dead}}

In December 2017, Riis trialled with Dutch club VVV-Venlo.{{cite web|title=Emil Riis Jakobsen op proef bij VVV-Venlo [Emil Riis Jakobsen on trial at VVV-Venlo]|url=http://www.venlonaren.net/emil-riis-jakobsen-op-proef-vvv-venlo/|publisher=Venlonaren|access-date=8 April 2018|language=nl}} On 11 January 2018, he joined the club on a loan deal till the end of the season.{{cite web|title=Derby County transfer news: Rams forward moves on loan to Holland|url=https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/derby-county-transfer-news-jakobsen-1045645|publisher=Derby Telegraph|access-date=8 April 2018|date=11 January 2018}} He made his debut on 17 March 2018, where he came on as a 68th-minute substitute for Romeo Castelen in a 3–0 away loss to PSV.{{cite web |last1=Jensen |first1=Kenneth |title=Dansker fik debut i Holland: Nu overvejer han fremtiden |url=https://www.tipsbladet.dk/nyhed/benelux/dansker-fik-debut-i-holland-jeg-skal-beslutte-hvad-jeg-skal |publisher=Tipsbladet |access-date=1 October 2020 |language=da |date=20 March 2018 |quote=Den 19-årige angriber Emil Riis Jakobsen kom ind for hollandske VVV-Venlo, der tabte med 0-3 ude mod PSV i weekenden.}} He made two more appearances in the Eredivisie during the spring.

=Randers=

On 13 June 2018, it was announced that Riis would return to Randers FC, where he signed a three-year contract.{{cite web |title=Emil Riis vender hjem til Randers FC |url=https://www.randersfc.dk/emil-riis-vender-hjem-til-randers-fc/ |website=www.randersfc.dk |publisher=Randers FC |access-date=1 October 2020 |language=da |date=13 June 2018 |archive-date=17 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190117070249/https://www.randersfc.dk/emil-riis-vender-hjem-til-randers-fc/ |url-status=dead }} In the 2018–19 season, his first season in the top Danish Superliga, he played regularly, but was not always a starter. During the season, Riis also made appearances for the reserve team. After 19 appearances for the first team, in which he scored three goals, Randers finished in eighth place of the league table during the regular season, and thereby qualified for Group 2 in the relegation round, in which the club made play-offs for European football as group winners. Riis was utilised in all matches and scored the 1–0 winner in a game against Hobro IK.{{cite web |title=Randers tager ny snæver sejr over Hobro i chanceorgie |url=https://sport.tv2.dk/fodbold/2019-04-19-randers-tager-ny-snaever-sejr-over-hobro-i-chanceorgie |website=sport.tv2.dk |publisher=TV 2 |access-date=1 October 2020 |language=da |date=19 April 2019 |quote=Fredagens kamp var blot seks minutter gammel, da Emil Riis bragte hjemmeholdet foran. Angriberen var for hurtig for Hobros midterforsvar og sparkede let bolden i mål.}} In the play-offs, Randers reached the third and decisive qualifying round, where they eventually lost 4–2 to Brøndby who qualified for UEFA Europa League participation.{{cite web |author1=Ritzau |title=Storslået Brøndby-comeback sikrer Europa-billet - se alle målene her |url=https://www.tv3sport.dk/sport/fodbold/nyheder/storslaet-brondby-comeback-sikrer-europa-billet-se-alle-malene-her |website=tv3sport.dk |publisher=TV3 Sport |access-date=1 October 2020 |language=da |date=31 May 2019}}

In the 2019–20 season, Riis was able to establish himself in the starting lineup. In the regular season, he scored 5 goals in 29 appearances.{{cite web|url=https://us.soccerway.com/players/emil-ris-jakobsen/454544/|title=E. Riis|publisher=Soccerway|access-date=8 April 2018}} Randers ended in 7th place and again qualified for the relegation round,{{cite web |title=Randers og Horsens vælger hurtigste vej til overlevelse |url=https://www.tidende.dk/sport-abroad/2020/06/07/randers-og-horsens-vaelger-hurtigste-vej-til-overlevelse-20200607172809/ |publisher=Bornholms Tidende |access-date=1 October 2020 |language=da |date=7 June 2020}} in which Riis scored three goals and again helped his club to European play-offs. There, Randers were knocked out by OB (2–1; 0–2).{{cite web |title=Randers sendt på sommerferie: OB videre i Europa playoff |url=https://www.dr.dk/sporten/fodbold/superliga/randers-sendt-paa-sommerferie-ob-videre-i-europa-playoff |website=www.dr.dk |publisher=DR |access-date=1 October 2020 |language=da |date=19 July 2020}}

=Preston North End=

On 1 October 2020, Riis signed a four-year contract with English Championship club Preston North End for an undisclosed fee,{{cite web |title=Emil Riis Jakobsen: "It Is A Dream Come True" |url=https://www.pnefc.net/news/2020/october/emil-riis-jakobsen-it-is-a-dream-come-true/ |website=pnefc.net |publisher=Preston North End |access-date=1 October 2020 |date=1 October 2020}} believed to be around DKK 10 million.{{cite web |last1=Abolhosseini |first1=Farzam |title=B.T. afslører: Superliga-profilen Emil Riis er solgt til Preston |url=https://www.bt.dk/superligaen/bt-afsloerer-superliga-profilen-emil-riis-er-solgt-til-preston |website=www.bt.dk |publisher=B.T. |access-date=1 October 2020 |language=da |date=1 October 2020}} He scored his first goal for the club in a 3–0 win over Reading on 4 November 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54714754 |title=Reading 0-3 Preston North End |date=4 November 2020 |publisher=BBC|access-date=5 November 2020}}

Riis started the 2021–22 season in fine form, scoring five goals in all competitions during August. His goalscoring form continued, scoring 16 goals in all competitions by the end of January 2022, including an audacious 96th minute equalising volley against Bristol City on 29 January 2022, winning further plaudits for his goalscoring ability.{{cite web |last1=BBC |title=Emil Riis Jakobsen rescues Preston |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60093112 |website=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=30 January 2022}}

On 9 May 2025, Preston announced that the player would be leaving in June when his contract expired.{{Cite web |date=2025-05-09 |title=Preston North End: Emil Riis and Freddie Woodman head list of departures |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c4grekw6gwqo |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}

International career

Riis has been capped by the Denmark under-16, under-17 and under-21 team.

He was called up to the senior Denmark squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against the Faroe Islands and Scotland on 12 and 15 November 2021, respectively. He was on the bench against Scotland.{{cite news

|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59202146

|title=Scotland 2-0 Denmark

|publisher=BBC

|date=15 November 2021 |access-date=17 November 2021}}

Career statistics

=Club=

{{updated|match played on 3 May 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://us.soccerway.com/players/emil-ris-jakobsen/454544/|title=E. Riis|publisher=Soccerway|access-date=16 June 2025}}

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|National cup{{efn\|Includes KNVB Cup, Danish Cup, FA Cup}} !colspan="2"\|League cup{{efn\|Includes EFL Cup}} !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
VVV-Venlo (loan) \|2017–18 \|Eredivisie \|3	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	3	0
rowspan="4"\|Randers \|2018–19 \|Danish Superliga \|25	4	2	1	colspan="2"\|—	5{{efn\|Appearances in Superliga European play-offs\|name=SEPO}}	0	32	5
2019–20 \|Danish Superliga \|31	8	4	2	colspan="2"\|—	2{{efn\|name=SEPO}}	1	37	11
2020–21 \|Danish Superliga \|3	2	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	3	2
colspan="2"\|Total !59	14	6	3	colspan="2"\|—	7	1	72	18
rowspan="6" \|Preston North End \|2020–21 \|Championship \|38	2	1	1	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	39	3
2021–22 \|Championship \|44	16	1	0	4	4	colspan="2"\|—	49	20
2022–23 \|Championship \|24	5	0	0	2	0	colspan="2"\|—	26	5
2023–24 \|Championship \|21	6	1	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	22	6
2024–25 \|Championship \|45	12	3	0	2	0	colspan="2"\|—	35	9
colspan="2"\|Total !172	41	6	1	8	4	colspan="2"\|—	186	46
colspan="3"\|Career total !231	55	12	4	8	4	7	1	258	64