If you’ve ever wondered how Denmark has risen in the football world in recent years, Thomas Delaney’s name (a curly-haired fighter) likely comes to mind. This Danish legend rose to football stardom despite quietly facing a hidden challenge—colour blindness. For years, he kept this part of himself under wraps, proving his determination and resilience on the field, no matter the obstacles.
Known for his grit and skill on the pitch, Delaney’s life story is one of resilience and determination. With his Irish surname and Danish heritage, there’s much more to Thomas than meets the eye. His journey began as a curly-haired boy who faced unique challenges—growing up in a split household after his parents separated when he was young, and navigating a youth football career complicated by natural setbacks.
Dane with Grit: Thomas Delaney’s Rise from Childhood Struggles to Football Fame
This biography offers a deeper look into Thomas Delaney’s story, from his early years to his rise as a midfield powerhouse. We’ll meet his parents, especially his father, Michael Delaney, learn about his Irish family roots, and catch a glimpse into his personal life with his wife, Michelle Lindemann Jensen.
Through this lens, we explore the journey of one of modern football’s most admired players—a Dane who turned life’s obstacles into a testament of strength and passion. Let’s dive into the life of Thomas Delaney, a story of persistence, talent, and triumph.
Against the Odds: Thomas Delaney’s Story from Boyhood to Danish Hero
Thomas Delaney Childhood Story:
To kick things off, this Danish talent, known fondly as “Derbylaney,” was born as Thomas Joseph Delaney on September 3, 1991, to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Michael Delaney, in Frederiksberg, Denmark. His first name, Joseph, was a special gift from his great-grandfather, carrying forward a family tradition. In fact, the name Joseph runs deep on his father’s side, with many of his relatives sharing this timeless name.
Early Life and Growing-Up Years:
Thomas Delaney is the only child of his parents. He spent his childhood days loving football because of his Dad, Michael, and Grandfather. Both Daddies were die-hard Manchester City fans.
Back in the day, little Thomas clearly remembers the rivalry between the Manchester clubs, which, most of the time, didn’t go well with his Dad (Michael) and Grandpa. Please note that this was a time before the Abu Dhabi United Group takeover.
During that time, Man City had an average team that played badly, and that worried little Thomas.
The boy, not his Dad and Granddad, was worried because he always had to defend the club against his childhood friends, who were mostly Manchester United fans.
Always putting up a defence for Man City means knowing more about the game.
So gradually, Thomas found himself so much engrossed in everything football, ranging from defending Man City to filling his room with football collections. In his words,
I filled my room with medals and trophies and a big Juventus flag, which I got from a friend.
It stayed in my room until I got a Milan jersey.
From supporting Manchester City (as observed above), Thomas went on to become a fan of other clubs – Juventus and, later, AC Milan.
Later on, the Danish midfielder lost the fan relationship with these clubs as he became a professional footballer.
As he got older (before becoming a pro), Thomas replaced these football collections with naked ladies on the wall of his room.
He later got a computer and controller, which he used to install, and played Football Manager. Buying a PlayStation and television came afterwards.
Thomas Delaney Family Background:
The Danish professional footballer is from a broken home. Thomas Delaney’s parents separated when he was just three years old.
In cases like this, it is usually the men who walk out of the family – like the Dad of Theo and Lucas Hernandez.
For reasons unknown, it was Thomas Delaney’s Mum who left the family home. She left her only child (Thomas) and Dad (Michael) all alone.
The truth is, experiencing a Parental breakup didn’t have much negative effect on Thomas. This is because his Dad and Mum were always in their separate places whenever he needed them.
Because Thomas Delaney’s father (Michael) stayed at home, he always found himself close to him.
In his early days, the youngster shared an apartment with his Dad just opposite Café Lindevang by Sløjfen in the Danish city of Frederiksberg.
Family Origin:
Aside from Denmark, we traced Thomas Delaney’s nationality to other countries, including the United States and Ireland.
We connect Thomas Delany’s family roots to these countries because of his Dad and Granddad. Now, let’s explain the Dane’s ancestry further.
Thomas Delaney’s father’s birthplace is in Denmark. As a child, Michael moved to the United States.
A generation before that, his great-grandfather (in the 1840s) fled Ireland to the USA. The reason for fleeing Ireland to the USA was because of the Irish potato famine.
This image explains Thomas Delaney’s Family Origin and Nationalities.
In a nutshell, the father’s side of Thomas Delaney’s family is originally from Ireland. The Irish potato crisis of the 19th century forced them to move to New York. Lastly, the Baller’s grandmother met his grandfather when he was on holiday in Denmark.
Thomas Delaney Education:
Frederiksberg is an easy place to grow up, as well as finding a good start to schooling. For all Dane children, early education remains compulsory – according to their authorities.
So Thomas Delaney attended Ny Hollænderskolen, a Public school in Frederiksberg, Denmark.
Career Buildup:
Playing football after school hours was a must-do-thing for Thomas. To get to the playing field, he would drive his bike from Frederiksberg City Hall, where his school was located, and pass Sløjfen, where he lived. Finally, he’ll drive down to KB, where he played football.
Please note that KB here stands for Kjøbenhavns Boldklub, and this is a small football school. It was where Thomas Delaney honed his skills as a child. The youngster’s ambition to become a professional grew there, and in no time, he started a proper academy career.
Thomas Delaney Biography – Football Story:
The Dane excelled greatly with Kjöbenhavns Boldklub before finding himself in the shirts of FC Copenhagen – the club that raised the likes of Andreas Cornelius, Jonas Wind (CF), Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Jannik Vestergaard.
This academy was newly formed (founded in 1992) through the merger of Delaney’s previous club (Kjøbenhavns Boldklub) and another called Boldklubben 1903.
When Thomas was 12, his team won a tournament, and they named him the best player.
At that age, it was natural for kids to grow taller and that had a positive effect on their youth progression. Sadly, Delaney got into trouble. His body refused to grow at that time.
To salvage the situation, the poor Dane decides to help himself since nature denies him growth. In his words, on how he helped himself;
I was wildly frustrated, but I probably learned how to use my body more. This is because I was physically inferior.
Delaney helped himself by becoming a very rugged defensive midfielder. That earned him lots of praise and made his club overlook his growth problems.
Behold young Thomas in his early. The boy was the smallest yet mightiest on the pitch in terms of performance.
Thomas Delaney didn’t allow his small-statured body to hinder his progress. To compensate for what nature denied him, he applied ruggedity to his gameplay.
Road to Fame Story:
Truth be told, his small-statured body remained like that – until he signed his first contract with FCK – Football Club Copenhagen.
Thomas Delaney was 16 when he began to grow. It was so stressful for him to witness growing pains and still strive to make his coach happy.
As a reward for his diligence, Thomas Delaney won the 2009 Arla’s Talent Award – for his age category.
It is important to stress that some Notable Danish footballers who have made their country proud have also won this national award. Now, let’s tell you who they are.
Their names include Yussuf Poulsen (RB Leipzig), Jannik Vestergaard (Hoffenheim), Kasper Schmeichel (Man City), Simon Kjær (Midtjylland), Joachim Andersen (Twente), Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Brøndby), Christian Eriksen (Spurs) and Andreas Christensen (Chelsea).
Winning the Danish annual award didn’t end there. Thomas Delaney also helped FC Copenhagen earn good experience in the UEFA Champions League.
Behold a typical Champions League night with the great Danish club. They truly worship football here!
In addition to the above accolade, Delaney also rose to become Copenhagen club captain. He led them to win 5 Danish Superligas and four Danish cups.
On an individual basis, Thomas won the Danish Cup Fighter (2015) and the Copenhagen Player of the Year (twice).
From Grass to Grace – The Rise of Thomas Delaney at Copenhagen.
Another one of Captain Fantastic’s best Copenhagen moments was when he delivered this long-range shot that nearly destroyed the net.
Behold, Delaney’s Straw that broke the camel’s back. After this goal, top European clubs began begging for his signature.
Thomas Delaney Biography – The Success Story:
On 17 August 2016, Werder Bremen announced that the Dane would be joining them in January 2017. At the German club, Delaney’s impact ended their consecutive defeats.
The next year, he scored a hat trick (the first of his career) in a win away against SC Freiburg.
While having a fine performance at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Borussia Dortmund grabbed Thomas Delaney on a four-year contract.
With the BVB side, he won two major honours, namely, DFB-Pokal (2020–21) and DFL-Supercup (2019).
At the time of writing Thomas Delaney’s biography, he had just moved to Spain to join La Liga’s side, Sevilla. His football exploits in Germany won’t be forgotten so easily.
The experienced Dane is also optimistic about having a successful 2022 FIFA World Cup. This optimism comes from his good performance at Euro 2020 – where he, alongside Christian Norgaard, etc, solidified Denmark’s midfield.
Thomas’ hard work for the national team has laid a good foundation for upcoming midfielders – like Mikkel Damsgaard to find grounds. The rest of his Biography, as we say, is now history.
About Michelle Lindemann Jensen – Thomas Delaney’s Wife:
First and foremost, she is the love of the Danish footballer’s life. Thomas Delaney met his then-girlfriend when they attended a business school class together. According to him, their relationship was a little Romeo and Juliet thing – as he dated a lady who came from rich and strict parents.
Meet Michelle Lindemann Jensen. She is Thomas Delaney’s Wife:
Michelle Lindemann Jensen, born in 1991, is from a large and rich Brøndby family. Popular among her household include her Dad, Henrik Jensen and brother, Mike Jensen.
In case you aren’t aware, Michelle is famous because her father was a professional footballer.
On the other hand, Michelle’s mother, Eliza Lindermann Jensen, is a business manager at Danske Bank.
After about ten years of dating, Thomas Delaney decided he would marry his childhood sweetheart. They got married in a private wedding ceremony.
This is Thomas and Michelle during their wedding.
Thomas Delaney Children with Michelle:
Both lovers became one lucky couple at the time they welcomed the latest addition to their family. Thomas and Michelle became parents of their first child, a daughter, in February 2021.
This is Thomas Delaney Child with his wife, Michelle. What a beautiful look – just after her birth.
Personal Life away from Football:
The first thing you’ll notice about the man with gorgeous hair is the fact that he is mentally strong. Away from football, he does extraordinary exercises to boost his mentality.
Thomas Delaney’s Hobby:
As a child, he played football manager on his computer. Then, later on, Thomas switched to the PlayStation. It might interest you to know that the Dane still preserves this old hobby even as a professional footballer. This is Delaney in Playstation Action with a group of people.
Playing Football games (FIFA, PES) is one of Thomas Delaney’s hobbies. He began this since his childhood.
Lifestyle:
Making vacation trips with his wife, Michelle, at the faraway resorts evokes vivid and sweet memories. This is one of Thomas Delaney’s ways of life outside football.
Michelle and Thomas love the holiday life.
On another note, Thomas is selfless. He is someone who would rather spend his resources (money and time) organizing cooking classes for his Danish teammates. He once rented the kitchen of Restaurant Paustian (in Copenhagen) to deliver cooking lessons for the boys.
Denmark national team players were learning how to cook from Thomas, the cook.
Does Thomas Delaney have a Car?
Probably, he has one, and we have spotted him driving his friends – and driving could be one of his hobbies. Thomas Delaney’s car, as seen here, appears to be a luxurious space bus. It is large and has more seat compartments in the back.
Thomas Delaney drives his friends in what appears to be his Car.
Thomas Delaney Family Life:
The combative Dane believes in having a close-knit household even though his parents left each other when he was just three. This section of Thomas Delaney’s Bio tells you more about members of his family. Let’s start with Daddy Michael, the head of the house.
About Thomas Delaney Father:
Michael is friendly and very fun to be with. Now a happier Man City fan, who now enjoys the wealth injected into the clubs.
Research has it that Thomas Delaney’s Dad returned to Denmark from the USA after he had an automobile accident.
Rather than staying in the United States, Michael chose to recover in his country of birth, Denmark.
Back then, he told stories of his time in the United States to his son (Thomas), who never visited there during his childhood. This is what Thomas said about this;
I am a bit sad because, as a child, I always tell my father that this is the year we go to America. But every time, it’s always next year… my Dad would say.
About Thomas Delaney’s Mother:
She enjoys doing knitting, says her son. Thomas once revealed that his Mum (before his separation from his Dad) could spend a whole day knitting indoors.
She does that while Michael, her ex-husband, prefers to be outside drinking beer with his other Grandfathers.
Thomas lived more with his father after the separation of his parents. But, as he got older, spending more time with Mother became key.
By doing that, his route became a triangle (visit Dad, Mum and football) rather than a straight line (stay with Dad and football).
Does Thomas Delaney have Siblings:
The Danish footballer doesn’t have a brother or sister born to his parents. More so, a lack of documentation exists as to whether Thomas Delaney’s Mum or Dad (after separation) got a child (his stepbrother(s) or sister(s)) from his stepdad or stepmother.
Thomas Delaney Grandparents:
The fact remains that Relatives from his Father’s side are closer to the media than those from his Mother’s side.
Thomas Delaney’s Dad was born his Denmark because his Granddad and grandmamma met each other when his Grandfather was on holiday in Denmark.
Without his grandparents going to Holidays in Denmark, he could have been born in the United States.
This means Thomas Delaney’s nationality will be only the United States and Ireland but not Denmark. Danish football fans are happy it didn’t turn out that way.
Thomas Delaney’s paternal grandad has lived in Tisvilde (a small town in Denmark) for years.
He loves to switch to his mother tongue (US culture) each time he tells stories. He grew up in New York and happily accepts that his son’s career is called football and not soccer.
Untold Facts:
Rounding up the Danish Midfielder’s Biography, we’ll use this section to tell you more truths about him. Without further ado, let’s begin.
Thomas Delaney Color Blindness:
Once a time, just eight minutes before taking a plane with the Danish international team, the midfielder called a Danish local radio station named DR P3.
Thomas did that because the person who called before him confessed he was colour-blind.
The caller said he found it difficult to distinguish between Mexico and Denmark players during their World Cup friendly match. Not only that, this Caller bears the name Thomas (a Delaney namesake).
During his call, Thomas Delaney DR P3 radio that;
“I’m red-green colour-blind. But I wouldn’t say it’s too bad for me.
My colour blindness does happen occasionally.
The other day on the field, I found it a bit hard distinguishing who was on my team and who was on the other.”
Without a doubt, Thomas Delaney is an inspiration to colour-blind people – Marca reports.
He Loves Africa:
Thomas Delaney is someone who would like to visit Africa after his retirement. Luis Suarez wouldn’t – because of his crimes against Ghana at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Thomas Delaney, even before retirement, is already a big fan of the great continent.
Thomas Delaney’s Profile:
The Dane is just like Ngolo Kante, who lacks nothing in his football stats. Thomas Delaney’s individual FIFA points show he is one of the best box-to-box midfielders of his generation. Matt O’Riley, a fast-rising and versatile footballer, is one of those Danes shaped in the likeness of Delaney.
Behold, the evidence of a versatile footballer.
Truly, Football fans have enjoyed people like box-to-box players in the past. For instance, the likes of Yaya Toure and Claudio Marchisio. New names like the England star Conor Gallagher are among the current fast-rising box-to-box midfielders.
Thomas Delaney’s Religion:
Super Midfielder Thomas grew up in a Christian family and identified himself as a Roman Catholic. The most predominant religion in the Republic of Ireland (the country of Delaney’s ancestry) is Christianity. The country’s largest Christian congregation is the Catholic church.
Conclusion:
Thomas was born as the only child of his parents. Having an Irish surname means his family (from his father’s side) is from Ireland. Thomas Delaney’s Dad was born in Denmark at the time his grandparents left their residence (in the USA) to spend holidays in Europe.
About three generations ago, Delaney’s great-grandparents fled Ireland because of the Irish potato crisis in the 1980s. They settled in New York, where they raised Thomas Delaney’s granddad.
At the age of three, Thomas Delaney’s parents separated. His mother walked away from the family, leaving him, his Dad and his Granddad to live all alone.
The two Dads were Man City fans. Back then, the club lost a lot and that worried Thomas.
Severally, the boy had argued to defend Man City against his friends, who were mostly Man United fans. That increased his awareness and love for football.
Soon, Thomas saw himself liking hobbies that were related to football – with the mind of becoming a professional.
Delaney’s early life in football was characterized by stunted growth. Rather than risk expulsion from his club, he devised a means to please his coaches – by applying doggedness to his plays. Thankfully, it paid off. Growth came later, and the rest is history.
Thank you for taking the time to read the Biography of Thomas Delaney, a Dane with an Irish name. We care about accuracy and fairness while delivering stories of Danish Footballers. Please let us know if you find something that doesn’t look right.
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