Jacob Neestrup

Jacob Neestrup
Neestrup with Panathinaikos in 2026
Personal information
Full name Jacob Neestrup Hansen
Date of birth (1988-03-08) 8 March 1988 (age 38)
Place of birth Copenhagen, Denmark
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Panathinaikos (head coach)
Youth career
1994–1998 Fremad Amager
1998–2007 KB
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2009 Copenhagen 2 (0)
2009–2010 Stavanger 0 (0)
2010–2011 Hafnarfjörður 6 (0)
2011 Fremad Amager
International career
2007 Denmark U20 2 (0)
Managerial career
2013–2018 Copenhagen U17
2019–2020 Viborg
2022–2026 Copenhagen
2026– Panathinaikos
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Jacob Neestrup Hansen (born 8 March 1988) is a Danish professional football manager and former player. He is currently the head coach of Super League Greece club Panathinaikos.

A former midfielder, Neestrup emerged from the Copenhagen youth academy, but saw his career mostly diminished due to injuries. After retiring in 2011, he embarked on a career in management. He was appointed as head coach of 1st Division club Viborg in June 2019, after having worked as an assistant at Copenhagen the season before. From October 2022 until March 2026, he was the head coach at Copenhagen. During his tenure, he led the team to two Danish Superliga titles and two Danish Cups.

Playing career

Although his first team debut came on 20 September 2006 in the Danish Cup, Neestrup was not promoted to the first team before the summer of 2007. He was injured only two minutes into his professional debut. The injury subsequently ruled him out for eight months.

After recovering, Neestrup made his Danish Superliga debut in the last match of the 2006–07 season against Vejle.

In May 2010, Neestrup was signed by reigning Icelandic champions Hafnarfjörður. His stint with the club was not successful, being sidelined for large parts of the season due to injuries and a car accident. After six months, he returned to Denmark to sign with fourth-tier Denmark Series club Fremad Amager.

Managerial career

Viborg

On 20 June 2019, it was confirmed that Neestrup had been appointed as the manager of Viborg for the upcoming season. In his first season at the club, he guided the team to a third place in the 2019-20 Danish 1st Division.

On 22 December 2020, it was announced that Neestrup would leave Viborg at the end of the year and return to Copenhagen as assistant manager to Jess Thorup. He left Viborg in first place in the 2020–21 Danish 1st Division. He was replaced by Lars Friis, who would go on to win the Danish 1st Division and secure promotion to the Danish Superliga.

Copenhagen

On 20 September 2022, Neestrup was announced as the new manager of Copenhagen following the sacking of Jess Thorup. Despite being placed ninth out of 12, and being ten points off first place when he took over, Neestrup still eventually guided the club to win the Danish Superliga and the Danish Cup. On 12 December 2023, he guided them to the knockout stages of the Champions League, being placed second in a group with Bayern Munich, Galatasaray and Manchester United.

In the 2024–25 season, Neestrup and Copenhagen won double again, beating Midtjylland by just a single point in the league and beating Silkeborg in the cup final.

In the 2025–26 season, Copenhagen missed the championship group for the first time in the modern Superliga format. After losing the two opening matches in the relegation group to OB and Fredericia, Neestrup was fired and replaced by Bo Svensson. At the time Copenhagen were without a win in 8 matches, which was the most of any team in Superliga.

In the Champions League Copenhagen reached the league phase, where they would go out in 31st. They got two wins against Kairat Almaty and Villarreal.

Panathinaikos

On 26 May 2026, Neestrup was announced as new manager of Super League Greece side Panathinaikos in a two-year agreement, following the sacking of Rafa Benitez.

Despite initial difficulties during the 2026-27 UEFA Conference League summer qualifying, Panathinaikos under Neestrup showed great potential for the first time in years. On 20 September 2026 Neestrup equalized and surpassed the 13 consecutive unbeaten matches record that was held by the late Giannis Kyrastas since the 2001–02 season, scoring until that point 10 victories and 3 draws (Kyrastas had 9 victories and 4 draws which ended by a 2-1 defeat by Arsenal in Highbury Stadium for the 2001–02 UEFA Champions League season).

Managerial statistics

As of matches played by 22 October 2026
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record Ref
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
Viborg 20 June 2019 31 December 2020 5431131011665+51057.41
Copenhagen 20 September 2022 29 March 2026 1891033947359225+134054.50
Panathinaikos 26 May 2026 present 1713313814+24076.47
Total 2601475558513304+209056.54 —


Honours

Player

Hafnarfjarðar

Copenhagen

Manager

Copenhagen

References

  1. ↑ "FCK ansætter ny træner" (in Danish). BT. 15 February 2013.
  2. ↑ "Første træningsdag" (in Danish). F.C. Copenhagen. 20 June 2007. Retrieved 20 June 2007. Udover Mads Laudrup, der nu permanent er rykket op i førsteholdstruppen, er den unge midtbanespiller, Jacob Neestrup, ligeledes blevet indlemmet i de danske mestres trup.
  3. ↑ "Velkommen til Jacob Neestrup" (in Danish). F.C. Copenhagen. 20 June 2007. Retrieved 20 June 2007.
  4. ↑ "Thisted-FCK var kampen der ødelagde Neestrups karriere: I dag står han der igen" (in Danish). TV3. 9 November 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  5. ↑ "0 Vejle Boldklub 0 F.C. København". FCK. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  6. ↑ Blond, Mikael (28 July 2010). "Biluheld satte Neestrup tilbage". bold.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  7. ↑ Blond, Mikael (14 January 2011). "Endnu en profil til Fremad Amager". bold.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  8. ↑ Margren, Sara (20 June 2019). "Viborg har fundet træner: Hyrer FCK-assistent". Bold (in Danish). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  9. ↑ https://www.dbu.dk/turneringer_og_resultater/resultatsoegning/position.aspx?poolid=305672 2019–20 1st Division table – Danish FA
  10. ↑ Margren, Sara (22 December 2020). "FCK henter Jacob Neestrup i Viborg". Bold (in Danish). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  11. ↑ "Lars Friis is the new head coach of VFF". Viborg FF (in Danish). 16 January 2021.
  12. ↑ https://dbu.dk/resultater/pulje/334855/stilling 2020–21 1st Division table – Danish FA
  13. ↑ Margren, Sara (20 September 2022). "FCK fyrer Jess Thorup". Bold (in Danish). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  14. ↑ "Neestrup reflects on winning the double". F.C. København. 4 June 2023.
  15. ↑ "Copenhagen advance to Champions League knockouts with Galatasaray win". France 24. 12 December 2023.
  16. ↑ Nøjsen, Daniel; Porse, Kristian (25 May 2025). "Overlegen guldsejr: FCK er dansk mester" (in Danish). bold.dk. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
  17. ↑ "The Double kom i hus: FCK knuste Silkeborg i pokalfinalen". Bold.dk (in Danish). 29 May 2025. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  18. ↑ "FCK's "historiske fiasko" trækker overskrifter" (in Danish). TV2 Danmark. 2 March 2026. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  19. ↑ "Neestrup færdig i FCK" (in Danish). TV2 Danmark. 29 March 2026. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
  20. ↑ "2025–26 Champions League table". flashscore. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  21. ↑ Svend Bertil Frandsen (26 May 2026). "Ex-FC Copenhagen boss Jacob Neestrup named Panathinaikos' Rafa Benitez replacement". Tribal Football.
  22. ↑ Panathinaikos F.C. (26 May 2026). "JACOB NEESTRUP APPOINTED NEW HEAD COACH OF PANATHINAIKOS". pao.gr/en.
  23. ↑ Nalmpantis, Thomas (21 September 2026). "Παναθηναϊκός: Ο Νίστρουπ ξεπέρασε τον Κυράστα - Neestrup surpassed Kyrastas" (in Greek). novasports.gr.
  24. ↑ "Viborg FF: Matches". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  25. ↑ "FC Copenhagen: Matches". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  26. ↑ "Panathinaikos FC: Matches". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
  27. 1 2 3 4 5 Jacob Neestrup at Soccerway. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  28. ↑ "FCK er dansk mester". F.C. København. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  29. ↑ "FCK win 2022/23 Danish Cup". Copenhagen. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  30. ↑ Halkier, Emil (29 May 2025). "FCK forlænger festen med sejr i pokalfinalen" (in Danish). DR. Retrieved 29 May 2025.