Jon Dahl Tomasson, 47, will be the new national team captain for the men’s national team. With solid credentials from international football, he takes on the role and becomes historic as the men’s national team’s first foreign captain.
– I am very much looking forward to starting this great assignment and to meeting supporters, players and of course the media in Sweden. And to think, speak and dream in blue and yellow, says Jon Dahl Tomasson.
When the men’s national team gathers in March for international friendlies against Portugal and Albania, it will be under new leadership through Jon Dahl Tomasson as national team captain. Remy Reijnierse takes over as assistant national team captain. The duo will begin their assignments on March 1 and the agreements extend over the qualification for the WC 2026 and are automatically extended in case of promotion.
– With Jon Dahl Tomasson’s experience from international football, the men’s national team is taking steps towards a new era. I am extremely happy and proud that we can tie a national team captain of Jon’s caliber to us and I am very satisfied with the work that has been done and the process we had to find the best solution, says the Swedish Football Association’s general secretary Andrea Möllerberg.
Jon Dahl Tomasson comes closest from the head coaching assignment at English Blackburn in the Championship. During 2020-2021, he successfully coached Malmö FF to two SM golds and group stage in the Champions League. He also has leadership experience from the Danish national team, where he was an assistant coach in 2016-2020.
Copenhagen-born Tomasson has a broad playing career under his belt with 110 international matches and 52 goals in the Danish national team. He has represented clubs such as Heerenveen, Newcastle, Feyenoord, Milan, Stuttgart and Villarreal.
Football manager Kim Källström:
– Jon Dahl Tomasson’s characteristics fit the requirement profile well. It wasn’t decisive, but we appreciate his playing background. We see it as a strength that he has a good understanding of what national team operations are after his years as assistant national team captain in Denmark. He has also played and been team captain in the Danish national team, he says.
Kim Källström emphasizes that his football philosophy will mean a game-changing change for the men’s national team.
– Jon Dahl Tomasson’s way of wanting to play positive attacking football is something that will suit our group of players well. He also has good experience of being a leading figure, which you naturally become for the Swedish men’s national team, he says.
Remy Reijnierse from the Netherlands takes over as assistant national team captain. After 15 years at the Netherlands Football Association, Remy Reijnierse has experience in assistant assignments at club level in Germany and England. He has worked with Jon Dahl Tomasson in both Malmö FF and Blackburn, so the duo’s collaboration is well tried.
Jon Dahl Tomasson
Career as a player
Jon Dahl Tomasson began his career in Køge in Denmark. As an 18-year-old, he became a professional in the Dutch club Heerenveen where he had a great time. After three years at Heerenveen he moved to Newcastle United, but after a year returned to the Netherlands and this time to Feyenoord where there was a league victory in 1999 and a win in the UEFA Cup. In the 2002 UEFA Cup final, he scored the decisive goal.
After the Netherlands, a stay in Italian AC Milan awaited. During his third and final season in Milan, Jon Dahl Tomasson helped lead the club to the Champions League final. However, the final against Liverpool in 2005 ended in a loss on penalties.
The striker had time after the Milan period to play in Stuttgart, Villareal before returning to the Netherlands in 2008 where he finished his career in Feyenoord in 2011.
On two occasions, Jon Dahl Tomasson has been chosen as Denmark’s best player. That was in 2002 and 2004.
Jon Dahl Tomasson, made his debut in the Danish national team in 1997. There were a total of 110 international matches and 52 goals, which means that he is currently the player noted for the most goals.
Career as a coach
After his playing career, Jon Dahl fairly immediately began a venture into the coaching profession. Initially as an assistant coach in Excelsior in the Netherlands, where in 2013 he became the main manager. After a stint at Roda and Vitesse, before becoming assistant national team captain in the Danish national team under head coach Åge Hareide. In the WC 2018, Denmark made it to the round of 16.
After that, a move to Sweden and Allsvenska Malmö FF awaited. The time in MFF led to double SM gold and group stage in the Champions League. In June 2022, Jon Dahl Tomasson moved to England for the coaching assignment at Blackburn in the Championship. He left that assignment in February 2024.
On February 26, he was presented as the new national team captain for the men’s national team.
Former national team captains
