Simon Makienok Christoffersen (Danish pronunciation: [ˈsimɔn mæˈkʰiːnʌk]; born 21 November 1990) is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a striker for Danish Superliga club Hvidovre.

Simon Makienok
Makienok with Preston North End in 2016
Personal information
Full name Simon Makienok Christoffersen
Date of birth (1990-11-21) 21 November 1990 (age 33)
Place of birth Næstved, Denmark
Height 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
Hvidovre
Number 24
Youth career
1995–1998 Suså IF[1]
1998–2007 Næstved
2007–2008 Herfølge
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2012 HB Køge 58 (22)
2012–2014 Brøndby 74 (35)
2014–2017 Palermo 4 (0)
2015–2016Charlton Athletic (loan) 36 (5)
2016–2017Preston North End (loan) 25 (3)
2017–2020 Utrecht 7 (1)
2020 Dynamo Dresden 9 (3)
2020–2022 FC St. Pauli 45 (8)
2022–2023 Horsens 15 (1)
2023– Hvidovre 19 (2)
International career
2009 Denmark U19 8 (1)
2009–2011 Denmark U20 3 (0)
2009–2012 Denmark U21 13 (2)
2013 Denmark 6 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 29 May 2024

Born in Næstved, Makienok began his professional career at Herfølge Boldklub, which later became HB Køge, making his debut in 2009, before joining Brøndby IF in January 2012 for a fee of €550,000. After a two-and-a-half-year spell at Brøndby, where the club barely avoided relegation, he was signed by Italian club Palermo for a fee reported to be €2.3 million in August 2014. Palermo then loaned him out to English sides Charlton Athletic and Preston North End, before he signed with Dutch side FC Utrecht in 2017. After two European appearances for the club, he suffered a knee injury which kept him sidelined for two years. He then played for Dynamo Dresden and FC St. Pauli in Germany before returning to Denmark in 2022 where he joined AC Horsens.

Makienok has also represented Denmark at senior and several youth levels, gaining his first cap for the senior side on 22 March 2013 as a 85th-minute substitute in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Czech Republic which ended in a 3–0 win for Denmark.[2]

Career

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Early career

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Makienok grew up in Herlufmagle, and started playing for local club Suså IF at the age of 4, before making the move to Næstved Boldklub a few years later.[1][3] On 27 August 2007, he transferred to the Herfølge Boldklub youth academy.[4] He later told in the radio-show Fodboldeffekten on Radio 100, that Næstved Boldklub tried to retain him by offering him a job in a local Shell fuel station, due to lacking funds to pay players.[5][6] After having spent a year in Herfølge, Makienok signed a five-year contract with the club.[7] On 22 June 2009, he was effectively promoted to the first team competing in the Danish 1st Division (second highest division).[8] He made 22 goals in 58 league appearances for Herfølge and since HB Køge, as part of a 2009 merger.[9]

Brøndby

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Makienok joined Brøndby IF on 28 January 2012 on a €550,000 transfer from HB Køge, signing a four-year contract which tied him to the club until the summer of 2016. He made his debut on 4 March 2012, in a 1–0 win against SønderjyskE.[10] He scored his first goal for the club on 18 March 2012 in a 2–1 away win over FC Nordsjælland.[11] He scored a total of 11 goals in 33 league and cup appearances in the 2011–12 season for HB Køge and Brøndby.

In the following season, Makienok was rewarded with Player of the Month of the Danish Superliga for his performances during November 2012.[12] In the 2012–13 season he amassed 15 goals in 34 league and cup appearances, as Brøndby barely avoided relegation from the Superliga in the last fixture of the season against Horsens.

On 20 August 2013, Brøndby announced that they had accepted an €3.8 million (DKK28.5 million) offer from a Russian club for Makienok.[13] However, Makienok was not interested in the move and decided t stay.[13] According to multiple Danish newspapers, he turned down a weekly salary of €34,000 (€1,632,000/year)[14] from Russian club FC Terek Grozny.[15] In the same year, he caught the attention of several French clubs[16] and English sides Crystal Palace[17] and Fulham while his price tag was reported as over €4 million.[18] According to several Danish media sources, Makienok had rejected a contract extension wanting to pursue new challenges during the 2014 summer transfer window.[19]

On 31 July 2014, Makienok made his Europa League-debut starting in a 3–0 away defeat to Belgian side Club Brugge.[20] During the last weeks of the 2014 summer transfer window, new rumours circulated about foreign interest in him. Several Serie A clubs revealed their interest, with Palermo leading Atalanta, Cesena and Scottish side Celtic in the chase, as his price tag was now €3 million according to Danish media.[21]

Palermo

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On 30 August 2014, Makienok penned a four-year contract with newly promoted Italian side Palermo after days of speculation. The transfer fee was reportedly €2.3 million.[22][23]

Loan to Charlton Athletic

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On 1 July 2015, Makienok joined Charlton Athletic on a one-year loan.[24] He scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 win over Hull City on 22 August 2015.[25] He netted 5 goals in the course of the season, in which his Charlton Athletic side were relegated from the Championship.

Loan to Preston North End

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Following Makienok's spell at Charlton Athletic, he joined Preston North End on loan,[26] from 1 July 2016. He was the club's second summer signing, following the signing of goalkeeper Chris Maxwell.[27] On 20 September 2016, he scored a hat-trick as Preston knocked Premier League side Bournemouth out of the EFL Cup.[28]

On 15 October he came off the bench in the 79th minute to score his first league goal of the season, with a dramatic injury time equaliser as he latched on to Gallagher's pin point cross to head home, which stretched Preston's unbeaten run to five games after a slow start to the season.[29]

Utrecht

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On 7 June 2017, Makienok signed a three-year contract with Dutch Eredivisie club FC Utrecht, where he was meant to succeed Sébastien Haller as the team's target-man.[30][31] After making two appearances in the Europa League qualifiers he tore his anterior cruciate ligament keeping him sidelined for a lengthy period.[32][33] Makienok had multiple complications and setbacks during his rehabilitation, only making his comeback on the pitch two years after suffering the injury, on 31 October 2019 in a 4–1 cup win over fifth tier club Excelsior '31, in which he scored a goal.[34][35] A few days later, on 3 November, he was subbed on against Fortuna Sittard in the Eredivisie and scored his first goal in the Dutch league only three minutes later as Utrecht won 6–0.[36] After the match, he said that the comeback felt "surreal" and "a dream come true".[37] In an interview with Simon Routledge in the radio-show Fodboldeffekten on Radio 100, Makienok stated that he had "almost felt depressed" during his two years away from football.[38][5]

Dynamo Dresden

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On 29 January 2020, Dynamo Dresden announced Makienok's signing on a six-month deal.[39] He was sent off with a red card seven minutes into his debut on 7 February against Darmstadt 98 after coming on as a substitute in the 70th minute of the match after stepping illegally on opposing goalkeeper Marcel Schuhen.[40][41] Makienok made his first goal for the club on 28 February, scoring the winner on a return ball in a 2–1 win over Jahn Regensburg.[42]

On 12 May, Makienok and two other teammates tested positive for COVID-19, ruling them out for an indefinite period of time.[43] He was declared healthy again on 23 May,[44] and made his return to the pitch for Dresden on 9 June in a 1–1 home draw against Greuther Fürth, where he scored the equaliser after coming on for Jannik Müller during the half.[45] The club suffered relegation to the 3. Liga on 28 June after a 2–2 draw against VfL Osnabrück,[46] and Makienok left the club as a free agent.

FC St. Pauli

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On 29 August 2020, Makienok signed a two-year contract with FC St. Pauli where he was expected to replace Henk Veerman.[47] After signing, Makienok stated that he had always perceived St. Pauli as "a special club", whose values of "equality, tolerance and respect" he shared.[47] The same day as the move was announced, Danish tabloid B.T. revealed that Makienok had turned down an offer from Danish Superliga club OB.[48]

Horsens

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On deadline day, 31 August 2022, Makienok joined Danish Superliga side AC Horsens on a deal until June 2023.[49] During the spring season, Makienok broke both an arm and a leg. For this reason, his stay in Horsens was never really good, which is why he left the club after the 2022-23 season.[50]

Hvidovre IF

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On 26 August 2023, Makienok signed with newly promoted Danish Superliga-side Hvidovre IF.[51]

Personal life

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In August 2013, Simon Makienok started dating the Danish TV-host Ibi Støving who is 16 years older than him. Ibi has a son, Anakin, with the former professional footballer Tobias Grahn.[52] The couple revealed on their personal blog crystalkidbabyshark.com that Makienok had proposed to Ibi on 4 April 2014. They got married on 6 September 2014 in Holmen Church in Copenhagen.[53]

On 3 December 2019, it was confirmed that Makienok and Støving had split a year prior to the report, as rumours had emerged after the two had unfollowed each other on Instagram.[54] It was later revealed that Makienok had started dating Støving's friend, The Voice radio-host Ida-Sophia Petersen.[55]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 5 November 2023[56][57]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Herfølge 2008–09 Danish 1st Division 4 0 0 0 4 0
HB Køge 2009–10 Danish Superliga 9 1 2 0 11 1
2010–11 Danish 1st Division 28 16 1 0 29 16
2011–12 Danish Superliga 17 5 2 1 19 6
Total 54 22 5 1 0 0 59 23
Brøndby IF 2011–12 Danish Superliga 14 5 0 0 14 5
2012–13 31 15 3 0 34 15
2013–14 24 12 1 1 25 13
2014–15 5 3 0 0 2[a] 0 7 3
Total 74 35 4 1 2 0 80 36
Palermo 2014–15 Serie A 4 0 0 0 4 0
Charlton Athletic (loan) 2015–16 Championship 36 5 1 0 37 5
Preston North End (loan) 2016–17 Championship 25 3 4 3 29 6
Utrecht 2017–18 Eredivisie 0 0 0 0 2[a] 0 2 0
2018–19 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
2019–20 4 1 1 1 0 0 5 2
Total 7 1 1 1 2 0 10 2
Dynamo Dresden 2019–20 2. Bundesliga 9 3 0 0 9 3
FC St. Pauli 2020–21 2. Bundesliga 18 2 1 0 19 2
2021–22 27 6 3 0 30 6
Total 45 8 4 0 0 0 49 8
Horsens 2022–23 Danish Superliga 15 1 1 0 16 1
Hvidovre 2023–24 Danish Superliga 8 0 3 3 11 3
Career total 281 78 23 9 4 0 308 87
  • (-) Not qualified
  1. ^ a b Appearances in the Europa League

References

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  1. ^ a b "Interview med Simon Makienok". gymnordic.com. Gymnordic. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Tjekkiet - Danmark, VM Kvalifikation UEFA Gruppe B 2012/2013 22/3-2013". bold.dk. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  3. ^ Bachmann, Ulrik (28 February 2015). "Fodboldstjerne ramt af tragedie". sn.dk. Sjællandske Nyheder. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  4. ^ Nielsen, Kasper (27 August 2007). "Herfølge skriver med syv ungdomsspillere". bold.dk. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  5. ^ a b Oliver Routledge (11 November 2019). "Episode 62 - Simon Makienok". Fodboldeffekten - Radio Play (Podcast). Radio 100. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  6. ^ Mustafa, Bave (12 November 2019). "Makienoks absurde start: Tilbudt job på Shell-tank". ekstrabladet.dk. Ekstra Bladet. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  7. ^ Rasmussen, Josef (15 September 2008). "Herfølge fanger talenterne". bold.dk. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  8. ^ Helmin, Jesper (22 June 2009). "Herfølge forfremmer angrebsfyrtårn". bold.dk. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  9. ^ Helmin, Jesper (10 June 2009). "HB Køge skal spille i Herfølge". bold.dk. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  10. ^ "Makienok efter debut: Fantastisk". tipsbladet.dk. Tipsbladet. 4 March 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  11. ^ Lindved Norup, Mark (18 March 2012). "Simon Makienok scorede i Brøndby-sejr". dr.dk. Danmarks Radio. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  12. ^ "Makienok kåret til månedens Superliga-spiller". nordjyske.dk. NORDJYSKE Medier. 2 December 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  13. ^ a b Håkansson, Tommy Sommer (20 August 2013). "FBM 36/2013: Delårsrapport 1. halvår 2013". brondby.com. Brøndby IF. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  14. ^ Qureshi, Michael; Sorgenfri, Søren (21 August 2013). "Afsløring: Så mange millioner sagde Makienok nej til". bt.dk. B.T. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  15. ^ Ferdinand, Poul; Hybholt Hare, Hans-Henrik; Schrøder, Rene (20 August 2013). "Makienok afviser russisk kæmpe-bud". ekstrabladet.dk. Ekstra Bladet. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  16. ^ Hoffskov, Ole (6 December 2013). "Franske klubber jagter Brøndby-profil". Tipsbladet. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  17. ^ Josevski, Aleksandar (10 December 2013). "Makienok: Crystal Palace følger mig". B.T. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  18. ^ Helmin, Jesper (31 December 2013). "Avis: Meulensteen spørger til Makienok". bold.dk. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  19. ^ Blond, Mikael (3 May 2014). "Avis: Makienok afviser ny BIF-aftale". bold.dk. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  20. ^ "Disse 11 starter mod Club Brugge". brondby.com. Brøndby IF. 31 July 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  21. ^ Qureshi, Michael (24 August 2014). "Så meget forlanger Brøndby for Makienok". www.bt.dk. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  22. ^ "Makienok sign a four year contract with Palermo" (in Danish). 30 August 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
  23. ^ Russo, Alessandro (29 August 2014). "Palermo, è ufficiale il gigante Makienok". Gazetta Dello Sport (in Italian).
  24. ^ "Charlton secure great Dane Simon Makienok". 1 July 2015. Archived from the original on 1 July 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  25. ^ "Charlton 2–1 Hull". BBC Sport. 22 August 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  26. ^ "PNE Complete Signing of Simon Makienok".
  27. ^ "Chris Maxwell to Sign Three-Year Deal".
  28. ^ "Bournemouth 2-3 Preston". BBC Sport. 20 September 2016. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  29. ^ "Brighton & Hove Albion 2-2 Preston North End". BBC Sport.
  30. ^ Thorsen, Gisle (1 June 2017). "Tæt på ny klub: Hollændere vil have Makienok". ekstrabladet.dk. Ekstra Bladet. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  31. ^ Dehn, Anders (21 November 2018). "Flere måneders pause venter: Simon Makienok skal under kniven igen". tipsbladet.dk. Tipsbladet. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  32. ^ "FC Utrecht lang zonder aankoop Makienok". foxsports.nl. FOX Sports. 27 July 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  33. ^ Krabbendam, Martijn (28 July 2017). "FC Utrecht schakelt door na zware blessure Makienok". vi.nl. Voetbal International. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  34. ^ Reedijk, Tim (31 October 2019). "De avond van de tranen van Makienok: 'Was een zware periode in mijn leven'". ad.nl. Algemeen Dagblad. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  35. ^ Reedijk, Tim (1 November 2019). "Van den Brom was 'wel even stil' na speech van Makienok". ad.nl. Algemeen Dagblad. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  36. ^ Dalgård, Jonas (3 November 2011). "Makienok skulle bruge tre minutter på nyt mål". bold.dk. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  37. ^ Risager, Victor (4 November 2019). "Simon Makienok efter drømmeuge: Det er en smule surrealistisk". tipsbladet.dk. Tipsbladet. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  38. ^ Krogsgaard Stenshøj, Andreas (13 November 2019). "Simon Makienok om hårde år: 'Nærmest deprimerende'". bt.dk. B.T. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  39. ^ "SGD verpflichtet Stürmer Simon Makienok von FC Utrecht" (in German). Dynamo Dresden. 29 January 2020. Archived from the original on 29 January 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  40. ^ "Simon Makienok får skrækdebut - udvist efter syv minutter". bt.dk. B.T. 7 February 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  41. ^ Sørensen, Steen (8 February 2020). "Makienok fik rødt kort syv minutter efter sin debut for Dynamo Dresden". 3point.dk. 3point. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  42. ^ "Simon Makienok åbner målkonto". ekstrabladet.dk. Ekstra Bladet. 28 February 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  43. ^ Abolhosseini, Farzam (12 May 2020). "Makienok coronaramt: Føler os ikke trygge". bt.dk. B.T. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  44. ^ "Simon Makienok er rask efter coronasmitte". jv.dk. JydskeVestkysten. 23 May 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  45. ^ "Makienok rettet Dynamo einen Punkt gegen Fürth". kicker.de. kicker. 9 June 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  46. ^ "Abstieg besiegelt: Dresden verabschiedet sich in Liga drei". kicker.de. kicker. 28 June 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  47. ^ a b "Der FC St. Pauli verpflichtet Angreifer Simon Makienok". FC St. Pauli. 29 August 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  48. ^ Abolhosseini, Farzam (29 August 2020). "B.T. afslører: Simon Makienok afviste OB - tæt på ny klub". B.T. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  49. ^ AC HORSENS FORSTÆRKER OFFENSIVEN MED SIMON MAKIENOK, achorsens.dk, 31 August 2022
  50. ^ Makienok er færdig i Horsens: Ingen kunne forudse det uheld, bold.dk, 29 June 2023
  51. ^ Officielt: Hvidovre henter Simon Makienok, bold.dk, 26 August 2023
  52. ^ Vraa, Nikolaj (10 August 2013). "Ibi Støvring dater Simon Makienok" (in Danish). www.herognu.com. Archived from the original on 29 July 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
  53. ^ Pedersen, Jeppe (4 April 2014). "Ibi Støvring and Simon Makienok engaged to be married" (in Danish). www.bt.dk. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  54. ^ Rode Nygaard, Laura (3 December 2019). "Ibi og Simon Makienok bekræfter: Vi er gået fra hinanden". bt.dk. B.T. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  55. ^ Ruhe Thorsen, Kristian; Borch Nielsen, Alexander; Minana, Emil (11 December 2019). "Makienok på banen igen: Scorer Ibis veninde". seoghoer.dk. Se og Hør. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  56. ^ "Simon Makienok » Club matches". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  57. ^ "Simon Makienok Player Profile - ESPN FC". www.espnfc.com. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
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