1. He started out as a striker
Mads Hermansen initially began his football career as an outfield player, appearing as a striker and winger, before switching to goalkeeper at the age of ten after suffering inflammation in his Achilles tendon. Hermansen himself explained: “I had a really good kick and scored quite a few goals, but that was in the younger years, so it wasn't really something that was talked about. I found out that it was fun to throw myself around. I stuck with it, and it's kind of funny, because my Dad was a little against it. He thought I should play in attack, but I really wanted to, and that was it.”
2. His first club produced lots of goalkeepers!
Mads Hermansen began his career with Næsby Boldklub in his home city of Odense as a schoolboy. Næsby has a reputation for developing promising young goalkeepers. Alongside Hermansen, Hans Christian Bernat is with German 2. Bundesliga club Karlsruher SC, Thomas Mikkelsen is at Danish Superliga side Brøndby, former Denmark U21 international Casper Radza is at Danish 1st Division club Middelfart. Benfica and Denmark right-back Alexander Bah also spent time at the club as a boy, as did RB Salzburg centre-back Jacob Rasmussen and Queens Park Rangers midfielder Nicolas Madsen.
3. He joined Brøndby IF at 16
Mads Hermansen earned his first international callup for Denmark U16s in 2015, having caught the eye with Næsby Boldklub. The same year, he went on trial at Brøndby IF in Copenhagen, two hours to the east, before formally joining Brøndby’s Idrætsefterskole (Sports Secondary School) as an U17 in 2016. He made his debut for Brøndby U19s in the national Boys League at Esbjerg fB in May 2017 and would play 44 times for the U19s and eight times for Brøndby Reserves over four years.
4. He became a first-team regular at 21
Mads Hermansen was called into Brøndby’s senior men’s squad in summer 2019 and backed-up German No1 Marvin Schwäbe in the Danish Superliga for two seasons in 2019/20 and 2020/21. Hermansen made his Brøndby debut in a 1-0 Danish Cup third-round win at Ledöje-Smörum Fodbold in front of a COVID-restricted crowd of 500 supporters on 5 November 2020. Following Schwäbe’s departure in summer 2021, Hermansen became No1 under new goalkeeper coach Casper Ankergren, starting 29 Superliga matches, two UEFA Champions League qualifiers against RB Salzburg and five UEFA Europa League group-stage ties against Sparta Prague, Oympique Lyonnais and Rangers in 2021/22. He was subsequently voted Brøndby’s Player of the Year for 2022 in December of that year.
5. He's captained Denmark U21s
Mads Hermansen captained Denmark U21s during their qualification campaign for the 2023 UEFA European U21 Championship finals. Denmark finished second in Group I, losing the one match Hermansen missed against group winners Belgium, and were knocked out on penalties by Croatia in the play-off. Previously, Hermansen travelled to the 2021 finals, where he was a reserve to OB’s Oliver Christensen. He was capped nine times at U21 level in total between 2021-22.
6. He's received multiple Denmark callups
The 2022/23 season saw Mads Hermansen maintain his position as Brøndby’s No1 goalkeeper. He started 27 of 32 Danish Superliga matches and four UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers. Hermansen also received his first senior callup for Denmark from manager Kasper Hjulmand for UEFA European Championship qualifiers with Finland and Kazakhstan in March 2023. He has been named in all but one senior squad since, but is yet to make his senior international debut.
7. He starred as Leicester won promotion
Mads Hermansen joined Leicester City in July 2023 and was immediately installed as No1 goalkeeper by Foxes head coach Enzo Maresca. Hermansen kept 13 clean sheets and conceded just 41 goals in 44 appearances as the Foxes won the EFL Championship title ahead of Ipswich Town. His performances won him a place in the 2023/24 Championship Team of the Season alongside new West Ham teammates Kyle Walker-Peters and Crysencio Summerville, who were then with Southampton and Leeds United respectively.
