In the Footsteps of His Quiet Life in Denmark

The road winds through a vast forest of ancient oak trees, a landscape that defines the region. The thermometer reads 4°C, but a biting wind makes it feel well below freezing. The city center of Vejle, with its fjord and famous UNESCO World Heritage Viking rune stones, is just a ten-minute drive away.

Allan Simonsen's Biography Age: 70. Born December 15, 1952, in Vejle, Denmark. 1.65 m (5'5"); 58 kg (128 lbs).Career Vejle BK (DEN, 1971-1972), Borussia Mönchengladbach (GER, 1972-1979), FC Barcelona (1979-1982), Charlton Athletic (ENG, 1982-1983), Vejle BK (DEN, 1983-1989).Honors UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1982 UEFA Cup: 1975, 1979 Danish Championship: 1971, 1972, 1984 West German Championship: 1975, 1976, 1977 Danish Cup: 1972 West German Cup: 1973 Spanish Cup: 1981 German Supercup: 1976 Ballon d'Or: 1977

The area is tranquil. A few cyclists tackle the hilly terrain, while locals walk their dogs along paths carved between the trees. A sign for "Vejle Stadion" points to the right. At the end of the road stands the local club's new stadium, built in 2003 next to the old one, whose concrete stands and athletics track have since been converted into an American football field.

A museum at the front of the stadium chronicles the history of the club, founded in 1891 and considered one of Denmark's most popular. Inside, the room holds hundreds of artifacts: jerseys, player licenses, balls, press clippings, and photos. The facade of the new stadium displays the names of club legends. In the most prominent spot is Allan Simonsen, who began his football journey here and won the France Football Ballon d'Or in 1977.

The 70-year-old local star agrees to meet here. He arrives on time, offers a warm handshake, and expresses his gratitude for the visit. "I love France. The last time I came was in 2015. A director from Montpellier wrote to me to say that his club's president (Louis Nicollin) was celebrating his birthday and would be honored to have one of my jerseys for his museum. I obviously agreed, and the club invited me to watch a match against Nantes and visit that famous museum. It was incredible. I had a wonderful time."

"Managing the Faroe Islands Was the Best Job I Ever Had"

At Vejle Stadion, every employee, volunteer, and director greets Allan Simonsen. Their eyes and smiles convey the deep respect commanded by the former international, who earned 55 caps and scored 20 goals between 1972 and 1986. Seated in the presidential box, the man affectionately known as "the Sparrow of Vejle" looks out over the pitch below. "This club is where it all started for me. Today, I'm a true supporter." He attends almost every match. "I just turned 70, and a few years ago, I decided to stop doing anything. I just want to enjoy life, my family, my children, my grandchildren, and travel."

Over the years, he has politely declined offers to work as a coach, advisor, sporting director, or TV pundit. He no longer has the desire. His last professional roles date back to the early 2000s, most notably as the manager of the Faroe Islands (1994-2001). "It might sound strange to you, but it's the best job I ever had. Everything had to be built from the ground up, and I didn't have the pressure of results. I had no professional players and had to start from scratch. Some even played other sports. I had to negotiate with the federations to tell them they needed to focus on football. It was very funny. And through hard work, we eventually got some results. We even drew 1-1 in Scotland. I did the same thing in Luxembourg (2001-2004). After all that, I stopped to enjoy life."

A "Dancing with the Stars" Semi-Finalist

Every year, the Dane flies to Germany, Spain, or England to visit former teammates and watch a few European matches, especially those involving his old clubs: Borussia Mönchengladbach, FC Barcelona, and Charlton Athletic. "This is life. Being able to travel, watch football, and just enjoy it quietly." His popularity at home remains as high as ever. A recent poll in the Danish press still ranks him among the country's favorite personalities.

In 2013, Allan Simonsen reached the semi-finals of Denmark's Dancing with the Stars, forcing the show's producers to change the SMS voting rules. "It was because 80% of the votes were for him, despite his poor dancing skills," a Danish journalist recalls with a smile. Simonsen himself reflects, "I had a lot of fun doing that."

In the center of Vejle, the city's archives department has just opened an exhibition dedicated to the local hero, which will run until the end of August. The town hall in the Jutland peninsula municipality also plans to unveil a statue in his honor outside the stadium in the coming months. "Do you realize how lucky I am to experience all this in my lifetime? How could I not be happy?" Simonsen says. "Every time I go out in town, people stop me, ask for photos, and ask questions. Even today, years after I retired, teenagers stop me."

A Broken Leg Against France

Sitting with a cup of coffee, the former Danish international scrolls through a few photos from his career, printed for the occasion. The first shows a handshake with Michel Platini before a match against France (a 1-0 loss on June 12, 1984). "An extraordinary player," he notes. "In 1984, during our first match of the Euros, I fractured my tibia challenging a French player (Yvon Le Roux) for the ball. But it wasn't his fault at all. It was just bad luck. After that, I never really got back to my best."

Another photo captures his time at Charlton in the English Second Division, following a successful spell at Barcelona. "I had the opportunity to sign in the Premier League with Tottenham, but I was tired of being constantly under pressure. A lot of people didn't understand my choice. I tried to explain it, to say that I no longer wanted to feel that constraint, but not everyone got it," he says with a laugh. "It doesn't matter. I just wanted to play football for fun and enjoy life. I was living in London, a big, beautiful city where I could go to concerts, exhibitions, and enjoy my family, all while playing. These were things I couldn't do in Barcelona anymore."

Sausage or Ballon d'Or?

Other photos show his Ballon d'Or triumph. His eyes light up, and the smiles follow. "There is nothing greater for a player. When I was 14, my parents wrote a song for my confirmation. They described all the dreams I wanted to achieve that I had told them about. There was the desire to become a professional, to play in Spain, to take my grandmother with me to a match in Italy, to become a Danish international. It all happened. But I had never talked about the Ballon d'Or. For me, it was something unattainable. And, in the end, I received it... It's incredible. It's the greatest award you can win. People talk to me about it every day. Even now. You can't imagine what a source of pride it is for me to have won this trophy."

"I can't wait for my Ballon d'Or to come home, I admit I miss it."

The year was 1977. Playing for Borussia Mönchengladbach, he was a German champion and a finalist in both the European Cup (losing 3-1 to Liverpool) and the Intercontinental Cup (against Boca Juniors, 2-2, 0-3). The memory of how he found out remains vivid, because it was so unusual. "I had just played in an indoor tournament. At the end of the day, one of my best friends came to see me and said: 'Allan, Anette (his first wife) just called me. A French journalist called your house, you've just been voted the best player in Europe. You've won the Ballon d'Or.'"

"I didn't believe him at all. I was hungry, we were in front of a food truck, and I replied: 'OK, OK, do you want to eat a sausage?' I didn't realize what was happening. He insisted and told me: 'Believe me, it's true.' We went home and opened a bottle of champagne. It was incredible that a Scandinavian player could win the greatest trophy that exists for a player."

1977 Ballon d'Or Rankings 1. Allan Simonsen (DEN, Mönchengladbach), 74 points 2. Kevin Keegan (ENG, Liverpool/Hamburg), 71 pts 3. Michel Platini (FRA, Nancy), 70 pts 4. Roberto Bettega (ITA, Juventus), 39 pts 5. Johan Cruyff (NED, FC Barcelona), 23 pts 6. Klaus Fischer (FRG, Schalke 04), 21 pts 7. Tibor Nyilasi (HUN, Ferencvaros), 13 pts -. Rob Rensenbrink (NED, Anderlecht), 13 pts 9. Dudu Georgescu (ROU, Dinamo Bucharest), 6 pts 10. Emlyn Hughes (ENG, Liverpool), 5 pts -. Berti Vogts (FRG, B. Mönchengladbach), 5 pts -. Steve Heighway (IRL, Liverpool), 5 pts 13. Trevor Brooking (ENG, West Ham), 4 pts -. Franco Causio (ITA, Juventus), 4 pts -. Ronnie Hellström (SWE, Kaiserslautern), 4 pts -. Dominique Bathenay (FRA, St-Étienne), 4 pts -. Anders Linderoth (SWE, Östers/Marseille), 4 pts22nd Place (3 points) Marius Trésor (France, Marseille) Ruud Krol (Netherlands, Ajax Amsterdam)24th Place (2 points) Heinz Flohe (West Germany, FC Cologne) Dieter Müller (West Germany, FC Cologne) Pirri (Spain, Real Madrid) Peter Shilton (England, Stoke City/Nottingham Forest) Ruud Geels (Netherlands, Ajax Amsterdam) Rainer Bonhof (West Germany, Borussia Mönchengladbach)30th Place (1 point) Giancarlo Antognoni (Italy, Fiorentina) Jürgen Grabowski (West Germany, Eintracht Frankfurt) Gordon McQueen (Scotland, Leeds United) Hans Krankl (Austria, Rapid Vienna) András Törőcsik (Hungary, Újpest) Gérard Janvion (France, Saint-Étienne) Ray Kennedy (England, Liverpool)

In 2005, the Dane once again traveled to Paris for the 50th anniversary celebration of the Ballon d'Or, an unforgettable memory. There, he met Ronaldo, Luis Figo, and Platini, and chatted with Marco van Basten and Lothar Matthäus. "It was fantastic. And to think that I'm part of the same family as these champions is just incredible..."

For a long time, the trophy was displayed in the Vejle museum, but for the past two years, it has been housed in the Mönchengladbach museum. "I admit I miss it. It's only right that the German fans get to see it and that the club benefits from it. This is all thanks to them, too. But I can't wait for it to come home so I can put it in the best possible place."

A Visit to Mom and a Bayern Match

The trophy will join other mementos scattered throughout his house: photos, press clippings, and jerseys. "Whenever I come across them, I'm transported back to all those wonderful years. It's the same when I watch my old teams play. I follow them closely. I watch a lot of matches; I love modern football. Players can express themselves while being better protected by the referees. That wasn't really the case in my day..."

His phone rings. On the other end is his 97-year-old mother. "She's still alive and doing well. You see, I have plenty to do in my life. I'm going to see her right after this, then I'll head home." Bayern Munich is playing a match in the evening. "Perfect. That's my plan for tonight. Isn't life beautiful?"