Michael Silberbauer

Michael Silberbauer (born 7 July 1981) is a former Danish professional footballer. He is currently coaching assistant for FC Biel-Bienne in the Swiss Challenge League. His strongest positions on the field were right wing and central midfielder. He has played left back for the Danish national team as well.

Career

Silberbauer has previously played more than a 100 games for each Danish club Aalborg BK and FC Copenhagen, winning three Danish Superliga titles with FC Copenhagen. He has been capped 25 times for the Denmark national football team, scoring a single goal.

Aalborg BK

Born in Støvring, Silberbauer started his career playing youth football for local amateur team Støvring IF, before moving to nearby top-flight club Aalborg BK (AaB). He made his Danish Superliga debut for AaB in the 3–2 win against defending Superliga champions Herfølge BK on 26 July 2000, and he played 28 of 33 games during the 2000-01 Danish Superliga season. Silberbauer played a total 105 Superliga games for AaB until December 2003, and was named AaB player of the year in both 2001 and 2002.

FC Copenhagen

In January 2004, Silberbauer moved on to Superliga rivals FC Copenhagen (FCK) in a transfer deal reportedly worth between 7–10 million DKK. In his first six months with FCK, he won both the 2003-04 Danish Superliga championship and the 2003-04 Danish Cup trophy. In the spring of 2005, he was in top form, scoring four goals in two games, before he suffered an injury in a game against arch rivals Brøndby IF. He won a further two Danish Superliga titles with FCK, before leaving the club as his contract expired in the Summer 2008.

FC Utrecht

Silberbauer then moved abroad to play for Dutch Eredivisie club FC Utrecht. He was eventually named team captain of Utrecht, and was seen as a leader figure for the young team. With his contract running out in the Summer 2011, Utrecht looked to sell him in the Winter 2010 transfer window, with a number of British clubs reportedly interested.

Young Boys Bern

Silberbauer was not sold, and eventually agreed a free transfer move to Swiss Super League club Young Boys Bern in April 2011, effective from July 2011. Silberbauer is on contract until 2015, but is on a loan to Odense Boldklub until summer 2013.

Odense Boldklub

Silberbaur joined OB 3 September 2012 on a one year loan contract.

International career

At the age of 16, Silberbauer made his international debut for the Danish under-17 national team in August 1997. He participated in the 1998 European Under-16 Championship. Up until November 2003, he played a total 56 games and scored seven goals for the various Danish youth selections, including 24 games and two goals for the Danish under-21 national team.

Silberbauer was selected for the senior Danish national team under national team manager Morten Olsen, and made his debut in the 1–0 friendly game win against Scotland in August 2002. It would be two-and-a-half years and a move to FCK before he added the second game to his tally. It came in March 2005, as he took part in the 3–0 win against Kazakhstan in the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification tournament. Silberbauer scored his first international goal in his fourth game, a 1–0 friendly win against Finland in June 2005. It came as a surprise to many commentators that Silberbauer was not included in Olsen's squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and Silberbauer himself was so disappointed that he considered ending his international career. Following the World Cup, he was called up for the national team again.

Silberbauer has also represented the Denmark League XI national football team, a selection of the best domestic Danish Superliga players managed by Morten Olsen for a number of unofficial international matches. Silberbauer has played an aggregated seven games and scored one goal for the League XI team in 2002, 2004, and 2006.

International goals

Scores and results list Denmark's goal tally first

Honours

• Danish Superliga winner: 2003–04, 2005–06 and 2006–07 (with Copenhagen)