Pernille Harder
Midfielder / Forward · VfL Wolfsburg / Chelsea · Denmark
About Pernille Harder
A four-time UEFA Women's Player of the Year, Pernille Harder is Denmark's greatest ever footballer — a dynamic, technically gifted attacking midfielder who has excelled at Wolfsburg, Chelsea, and Manchester City while captaining the Danish national team.
Pernille Harder's story
Ikast Beginnings
Pernille Harder was born on 15 November 1992 in Ikast, a small town in the Danish midlands. She came through local football before joining Viborg HK and then SK Brann in Norway. She moved to VfL Wolfsburg in Germany aged 21 and rapidly became the best player outside Spain and France in the women's game.
Wolfsburg Years
At Wolfsburg, Harder was exceptional — driving the club to multiple Frauen-Bundesliga titles and deep Champions League runs. She was named UEFA Women's Player of the Year four times while at the club — a level of consistent individual recognition that is nearly unprecedented. Her combination of creativity, pressing, and goal-scoring made her the most complete midfielder in the game outside the Spanish superstars.
Record Chelsea Move
In 2020, Chelsea broke the WSL transfer record to sign Harder. The move attracted enormous media attention and made her one of the most high-profile women's footballers in England. She had a positive first season but injuries and the depth of Chelsea's squad made consistent starts harder to guarantee. She moved to Manchester City in 2022.
Personal Life & Advocacy
Harder is in a relationship with Chelsea and Germany defender Magdalena Eriksson — the couple are one of women's football's most followed partnerships. She is a prominent LGBTQ+ advocate and has used her platform to push for better investment and visibility in women's football across Europe.
Did you know?
- Harder won the UEFA Women's Player of the Year award four times — a record shared only with Ada Hegerberg — reflecting a period of sustained dominance that placed her among the very best in the world.
- Chelsea paid a record WSL transfer fee for Harder in 2020 — the move generated coverage that rivalled men's football transfer news and was a landmark moment for the commercial profile of women's football in England.
- Harder is in a long-term relationship with Magdalena Eriksson, a Chelsea and Sweden defender; the couple have been open about their relationship and are considered one of the most visible LGBTQ+ partnerships in European sport.
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