Schmeichel began his career withManchester City, but had loan spells withDarlington,Bury andFalkirk before he made his first-team debut. Although Schmeichel appeared to have made the City number 1 shirt his own at the start of the 2007–08 season, the emergence ofJoe Hart resulted in Schmeichel being loaned toCardiff City. The signing of Republic of Ireland internationalShay Given in 2009 meant that Schmeichel fell even further down the pecking order at City, and he was allowed to link up with former managerSven-Göran Eriksson atNotts County. He spent only one season with the Magpies as, while it was a very successful one for the club and the player himself, changes to the club's financial position made his departure necessary and his contract was terminated by mutual consent.
Schmeichel joinedLeeds United in 2010, but again, his tenure at the club only lasted one season before he was transferred toLeicester City, where he again worked under Eriksson. Schmeichel went on to make 479 competitive appearances for Leicester over 11 years, during the most successful era in the club's history, winning theChampionship in 2014, thePremier League in 2016, and both theFA Cup andFA Community Shield in 2021.
After spells withNice andAnderlecht, Schmeichel returned to Scotland to sign with Celtic in July 2024. In his first season, he won a domestic double, lifting theScottish League Cup in December 2024 and theScottish Premiership in April 2025.
Schmeichel played seventeen games forDenmark under-21s. He was called up to the Denmark national team for the first time in 2011, and was part of their squad atUEFA Euro 2012, but did not make his senior debut until 2013. He has since made 120 international appearances, and represented his country at the2018 FIFA World Cup,Euro 2020, the2022 World Cup andEuro 2024.
Kasper Schmeichel was born on 5 November 1986 inCopenhagen, Denmark.[6] He is the son of Bente and formerDenmark international goalkeeperPeter Schmeichel, and is of Polish descent through his paternal grandfather.[7]
Schmeichel grew up in Denmark during his early years but spent most of his childhood living in England due to his father's playing career. He is anative speaker of both Danish and English and speaks with aMancunian accent. He attendedHulme Hall Grammar School in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, Greater Manchester, and he also attendedSaint Julian's School in Portugal while his father played forSporting CP inLisbon. WhenAlex Bruce, son of Kasper Schmeichel's father's former Manchester United teammateSteve Bruce, joined Schmeichel at Leeds United, the move saw the two players re-unite after both had previously played football together on the streets as children after school.[8]
Schmeichel started playing organised football in Portugal in 2000, while his father was part ofSporting CP. He played one season in theEstoril youth academy, in which he managed to win a championship.[9] Commenting on his early footballing years, Schmeichel remarked: "Before [Estoril], it wasn't that serious. I have to admit that when I was very small, football did not interest me that much. It was mostly in short periods that it was fun, and then I had enough. So it only started to take shape when I was 12–13 years old".[9]
In 2001, Schmeichel moved to Denmark where he attended Oure Efterskole, anefterskole or voluntary independent residential school for young people finishing theirprimary education.[5] Schmeichel said in an interview withEuroman in 2014: "At Oure, I was part of an environment and met a coach who made me want to develop even more as a goalkeeper".[10] Schmeichel, at the time, was described as hard-working and dedicated by coach Bo Pedersen.[11] While enrolled at Oure, Schmeichel trialled withBrøndby,[12] but would instead move toManchester City after another successful trial.[12]
Schmeichel making a save while training withBury in 2006
Schmeichel joinedManchester City in September 2002 on a long-term contract, which covered schoolboy, scholar and professional terms.[13] He joinedLeague Two sideDarlington on a loan deal in January 2006,[14] where he made his professional first-team debut againstPeterborough United at theDarlington Arena on 14 January 2006. Darlington won the game 2–1, with Schmeichel conceding a goal to Peterborough strikerJames Quinn.[15] He gained his firstclean sheet three days later againstGrimsby Town. He made two further appearances before returning to Manchester City.
One month after returning to Manchester City, he was loaned out again, this time toBury in February,[16] where he made 15 appearances in a three-month loan spell. He returned to Bury for a further three months the following season.[17]
Schmeichel joinedScottish Premier League sideFalkirk on loan from January 2007 until the end of the2006–07 season.[18] He was namedman of the match againstRangers on 18 February 2007. He also saved aCraig Beattie penalty in a 1–0 win overCeltic on 18 March 2007.[19] He revealed in May he would have liked his loan at Falkirk extended, and the club expressed an interest in signing him.[20][21]
Schmeichel made his Manchester City debut againstWest Ham United in August 2007.[22][23] He played against City's rivals and his boyhood teamManchester United on 19 August 2007 and kept a clean sheet in City's 1–0 home win.[24] Schmeichel saved a penalty fromArsenal'sRobin van Persie on 25 August 2007 at theEmirates Stadium. Despite City losing 1–0 to Arsenal, he was named man of the match. He played the first seven of Manchester City's games in the2007–08 Premier League, keeping clean sheets against Manchester United, West Ham,Aston Villa andDerby County, conceding only five goals.[25]
Towards the end of the loan spell, Schmeichel requested that he would be allowed to stay on at Cardiff for a longer period and on 22 November, the loan spell was extended until the new year, with managerSven-Göran Eriksson stating that he could possibly stay at the club for the rest of the season providing Manchester City do not suffer an injury crisis.[30] After Eriksson namedJoe Hart as the number one goalkeeper at Manchester City, however,Andreas Isaksson requested a transfer. This meant that Eriksson would not allow Cardiff to keep Schmeichel after his initial loan period ended on 2 January.[31] On 31 December, Eriksson threw Cardiff a lifeline by opening talks for Schmeichel to stay atNinian Park. Schmeichel would be allowed to stay for two more matches should Isaksson not move until late in the January transfer window. Schmeichel had stated he would like to play for Cardiff again in the future.[32][33] Schmeichel, however, returned toEastlands the day after his initial loan expired.[34]
He joinedCoventry City on loan until the end of the season on 13 March.[35] Towards the end of the season, his father,Peter Schmeichel, commented during a TV interview that his son was not happy at Manchester City and was set to leave following the end of the season.[36]
Despite wanting to leave, Schmeichel returned to the City of Manchester Stadium at the end of the season and changed to the number 16 shirt. He repeatedly stated that he wanted to leave City and regretted signing a four-year contract.[37]
On 16 November, Schmeichel entered a game as a substitute after Joe Hart injured his ankle in the 14th minute. City went on to a 2–2 result withHull City.[38] In December 2008, Schmeichel played his last game for Manchester City in aUEFA Cup match againstRacing de Santander.[39]
On 14 August 2009, Schmeichel signed for League Two sideNotts County in a deal that is believed to have broken the club's previous transfer record. The transfer reunited Schmeichel with his former Manchester City manager, Sven-Göran Eriksson, who had recently been appointed director of football for Notts.[40] He was the highest paid player at the club, earning £1 million annually.[41] He made his debut on 22 August and kept a clean sheet in the side's 3–0 win againstDagenham & Redbridge. In September 2009, Schmeichel almost scored with an audacious overhead kick againstMorecambe when he came up from a corner late on in the game.[42]
A fine string of performances in October earned Schmeichel the Player of the Month award.[43] During Schmeichel's stay at The Magpies, the club conceded only 0.67 goals per League Two match (29 goals conceded in 43 league appearances). Schmeichel's clean-sheets-to-game-ratio at Notts County was an impressive 55.8 percent (24 out of 43 league appearances).[44] On 27 April, Schmeichel and Notts County secured the2009–10 League Two title and promotion toLeague One with a 5–0 win against already relegatedDarlington.[45][46] Shortly before the game, it was announced that Notts County agreed to release Schmeichel at the end of the season, despite having four years left on his contract. The reasoning behind this was financial: Schmeichel earned a reported £15,000 per week, having been signed during the brief ownership period of high-spendingMunto Finance in the summer 2009. Schmeichel agreed to forgo all his future wages, something which chairmanRay Trew described as "a huge concession by such a young man".[47]
On 27 May 2010, having been linked with bothPremier League andBundesliga clubs, Schmeichel signed a two-year contract withLeeds United, joining the club on 1 July 2010.[48] Schmeichel was given the number 1 shirt at Leeds for the 2010–11 season and was made Leeds' first choice goalkeeper for the forthcoming season, ahead ofShane Higgs. He made his debut for the club on Saturday 7 August 2010 in Leeds' opening Football League Championship match againstDerby County. Despite Leeds losing 2–1, Schmeichel put in an impressive performance, making several crucial saves during the match.[49] After a string of impressive games for Leeds, Schmeichel was nominated for the August Championship Player of the Month award, but lost out toQueens Park Rangers wingerAdel Taarabt.[50] Schmeichel, however, did win theSky Sports Championship Player of the Month award for August.[51]
Schmeichel (in orange) playing forLeeds United in 2011
After picking up a tendon injury in his foot, Schmeichel missed the game againstSwansea City and was ruled out of Leeds' next few games.[52] While out injured, Schmeichel appeared onSoccer AM as one of the guests on the show.[53] After just under two months out, Schmeichel returned to the Leeds starting line-up against Cardiff City. He was set to play againstCoventry City on 6 November, but due to the birth of his first child the night before, he missed the game.[54]
On 8 January 2011, Schmeichel helped Leeds earn a 1–1 draw against Arsenal in theFA Cup Third Round match at the Emirates Stadium.[55] After the match, Arsenal captainCesc Fàbregas commented that Schmeichel should have received the match ball for his performance.[56] Although Leeds lost the replay 3–1, Schmeichel produced another impressive display (nearly scoring himself via a header) and he was subsequently named player of the FA Cup third round.[57]
On 27 June 2011, Leeds announced they had accepted an undisclosed bid for him fromLeicester City.[58] With Schmeichel wanting to stay at Leeds for the remainder of his contract, he admitted that the decision to sell him was a real shock.[59][60][61] However, Schmeichel said that moving to Leeds was the wrong move for him, particularly because he was made to feel unwelcome at the club because of his father's history.[62]
On 27 June 2011, Schmeichel was officially confirmed as a Leicester player, signing a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee that reunited him for a second time with his former Manchester City manager and Notts County director of football, Sven-Göran Eriksson.
In the first month of the season, Schmeichel was shown a seemingly needless red card in the 79th minute of Leicester's away game toNottingham Forest on 20 August 2011 after receiving two yellow cards for "unsporting conduct". He received the first card for moving the ball from the penalty spot as Forest'sLewis McGugan was about to take a kick, then received his second for throwing the ball away after the spot kick was successfully converted. After the match, Schmeichel apologized, claiming his back was turned to the referee so did not know he had received the first of the yellow cards. "I didn't know I had been booked as I had my back to the ref otherwise I would never have done that," he said on his personalTwitter page.[63][64] Despite this, Schmeichel's performances for Leicester quickly began earning him plaudits, with his then manager Sven-Göran Eriksson comparing him withEngland number 1 goalkeeper Joe Hart,[65] and teammate and former England internationalPaul Konchesky describing him as "one of the best [goalkeepers] he has ever played with".[66] A short-distant reaction save againstPortsmouth in November 2011, in particular, earned Schmeichel praise and was described by Portsmouth managerMichael Appleton as "one of the best saves I have seen in a very long time".[67] and by Leicester managerNigel Pearson as "a world-class, outstanding save and was very important at that point of the game".[68]
Schmeichel played a total of 52 games overall, making 17 clean sheets and saving four penalties. His performances in the2011–12 season earned him the club's Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year awards on 30 April.[69]
Schmeichel making a save during a match againstCardiff City in 2013
Schmeichel's form in the first half of the2012–13 season surpassed that of the previous season, keeping 12 clean sheets in 28 games, the most in the league as the Foxes sat second in the table, such performances earning him links withLa Liga giantsReal Madrid and also leading to his first seniorDenmark cap. A particular highlight was a spectacular save againstBlackburn Rovers in February. On 16 April 2013, he made his 100th Leicester appearance in a 3–2 win overBolton Wanderers. Schmeichel's performances earned him a place in the 2012–13 Championship PFA Team of the Year, alongside club captainWes Morgan.
During the2013–14 season, Schmeichel kept nine clean sheets during a 19-game unbeaten run spanning from December to April to help guarantee Leicester promotion from the Championship with six games to spare. Schmeichel's high quality performances once again led to him being courted by some of world football's giants, with both Manchester United andMilan being linked with moves for the Danish international during the January transfer window.
In March, TV footage[70] appeared to support Schmeichel's claim that he had scored what would have been the first goal of his career, when Leicester equalised, in injury time, againstYeovil Town. However, the match officials ruled that his header had not crossed the line and the goal was officially credited[71] toChris Wood, who followed up to put the ball in the net.
At the end of the2013–14 season, it was announced that Schmeichel had signed a four-year contract extension until the summer of 2018 with Leicester.[72]
Schmeichel remained the first choice goalkeeper for Leicester's return to the Premier League, including playing the full 90 minutes in the 5–3 victory against Manchester United on 21 September 2014.[73] In December 2014, Schmeichel suffered a brokenmetatarsal in training, ruling him out for what was thought at the time to be up to six weeks.[74] While he was out, Leicester signed goalkeeperMark Schwarzer as a replacement. Schmeichel eventually returned from injury three months later on 21 March 2015, and beat Schwarzer to play in the 4–3 defeat toTottenham Hotspur.[75] Clean sheets against Swansea City andBurnley as Leicester won four out of five games in April earned Schmeichel a nomination for thePremier League Player of the Month award.[76] After securing Premier League safety following a goalless draw withSunderland on 16 May, Schmeichel stated his belief that manager Nigel Pearson should winManager of the Season and that Pearson is the best manager Schmeichel has played for.[77] Pearson, however, was sacked in the off-season.[78]
Schmeichel taking a goal kick for Leicester City in 2016
Under Pearson's replacement,Claudio Ranieri, Leicester sat top of the table on Christmas Day.[79] Despite their great start, the team did not keep a clean sheet in their first nine games, prompting Ranieri to offer to buy the squad pizza for their first.[80] The team finally managed their first clean sheet of the season in their tenth game, againstCrystal Palace.[81] The team improved defensively, and Schmeichel kept his 12th clean sheet of the season in the reverse fixture against Palace on 19 March.[82] On 2 May 2016, he won the Premier League title at 29 years of age, the same age and same calendar day when his father won Manchester United's first such title in 1993. On both occasions, the respective teams (Manchester United andLeicester City) clinched the titles by nearest rivals (Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur) not winning.[83][non-primary source needed] The Schmeichels became the only biological father and son to have both won the Premier League, as well as doing so playing in the same position.[84]
Despite rumours of a move away after playing a crucial role in Leicester City's title in the 2015–16 season, on 6 August 2016, Schmeichel signed a new five-year contract until 2021.[85] Schmeichel made his first appearance of the season inFA Community Shield against the FA Cup winners,Manchester United, and the match ended in a 2–1 defeat for the reigning champions.[86] At the opening of the Premier League, Schmeichel continued his role in the goal ahead of new signing,Ron-Robert Zieler against newly promotedHull City. Schmeichel was beaten twice as Hull City went on to beat the champions 2–1.[87] After missing three games in September, including a midweekEFL Cup tie againstChelsea, with a minor groin injury, Schmeichel sustained a hand fracture in the first half of aChampions League match againstCopenhagen on 2 November.[88] Despite the injury, Schmeichel finished the game, seeing out a 0–0 draw by making a late save ofAndreas Cornelius for his fourth Champions League clean sheet in four matches.[89] After undergoing surgery two days later, Schmeichel was expected to miss six weeks of action, with Zieler taking his place in goal.[90]
On 24 February 2017, reports emerged alleging that Schmeichel was among several teammates who met with chairmanVichai Srivaddhanaprabha following their 2–1 Champions League defeat at Sevilla on 22 February,[91] which led to managerClaudio Ranieri being sacked. Schmeichel denied the claims, describing them as "very hurtful".[92]
On 26 August 2017, Schmeichel saved aRomelu Lukaku penalty away at Manchester United in the 53rd minute, with the score at 0–0. Leicester would go on to lose the game 2–0.[94] On 31 March 2018, Schmeichel saved apenalty kick in a 2–0 away win overBrighton, the same number his father saved during his time in the competition (three out of 21 Premier League penalties saved).[95] On 14 April 2018, Schmeichel suffered an ankle injury in the 86th minute in a 2–1 home loss againstBurnley, resulting in Schmeichel missing Leicester's final five games of the2017–18 Premier League season.[96]
On 31 August 2018, Schmeichel signed a new contract with Leicester until June 2023.[97] Schmeichel witnessed thehelicopter crash on 27 October 2018 that killed five people including Leicester ownerVichai Srivaddhanaprabha.[98] Schmeichel went on to play in everyPremier League game for Leicester, making his 300th league appearance for the club and helping them to a 9th-place finish.
Schmeichel played in all 38 Premier League matches, in which he kept 13 clean sheets. Leicester City finished in fifth place and qualified for the nextEuropa League season.[99]
On 15 May 2021, Schmeichel captained Leicester City to victory over Chelsea 1–0 in theFA Cup Final to win the competition for the first time in their history, the match featuring two saves by Schmeichel that greatly contributed to his team's triumph.[100]
On 7 August 2021, Schmeichel captained Leicester City to a 1–0 victory over Manchester City in the2021 FA Community Shield to win the competition for the second time in their history.[101] Schmeichel also captained Leicester City to the club's first European semi final after being knocked out byJose Mourinho'sRoma in theUEFA Europa Conference League.
On 3 August 2022, Schmeichel signed a three-year contract withLigue 1 clubNice.[102][103] On 14 August, he made his debut for the club in a match againstStrasbourg. The game ended in a 1–1 draw.
On 1 September 2023, his contract with the club was terminated by mutual consent.[104]
On 5 September 2023, Schmeichel signed a one-year contract withBelgian Pro League clubAnderlecht.[105] On 24 September, Schmeichel made his debut in a match against Anderlecht's rivalsClub Brugge, the game ended 1–1.
On 16 July 2024, he announced he would be leaving the club on a free transfer after one season, playing 31 games for the Mauves. He stated he was thankful for his time at the club, saying: "I will always remember my memories and my friendships made here."[106]
On 18 July 2024, Schmeichel signed forScottish Premiership clubCeltic on a one-year contract, with an option to extend for a further twelve months, replacing his friend and former Manchester City teammateJoe Hart as Celtic's number 1 following Hart's retirement. His arrival meant that he would reunite with his former manager at Leicester CityBrendan Rodgers.[107][108] On 4 August 2024, he made his competitive debut for the club, keeping a clean sheet in a 4–0 league win againstKilmarnock. In September, he earned his fifth clean sheet in a row, when Celtic beatHearts 2–0, equalling a record from 1906 for most consecutive clean sheets in top-flight football in Scotland.[109]
In December 2024, he won theScottish League Cup with Celtic by winning thefinal against rivalsRangers. He saved an important penalty during the penalty shootout that helped Celtic earn the win.[110]
On 22 January 2025, Celtic extended Schmeichel's contract until the summer of 2026.[111]
On 26 April 2025, Celtic were confirmed asPremiership champions after a 5–0 victory overDundee United atTannadice Park, a match Schmeichel missed through injury.[112] This gave Schmeichel the fourth league title of his career, and his first since lifting the Premier League with Leicester City in 2016.
While at Manchester City, Schmeichel was called up for theDenmark national under-19 team in August 2004,[113] and made his international debut in a 0–0 draw withNorthern Ireland on 2 September 2004.[114] He went on to play eight under-19 internationals until March 2005, competing withKenneth Stenild andMichael Tørnes for the goalkeeping spot. He was called up for theunder-20 team in October 2005,[115] but did not play for the team until October 2006, during his time at Bury.[116] The day after his under-20 debut, Schmeichel was asked to train with the seniorDenmark team and was called up as a replacement for injuredTheis Rasmussen in theunder-21 squad.[117]
Schmeichel was one of the leading players in the team, and was namedDanish under-21 Talent of the Year in November 2007, following three clean sheets in the previous four under-21 games.[29] He played a total 17 under-21 internationals in a row from March 2007 to October 2008, racking up seven clean sheets.
Schmeichel signing autographs during a training session withDenmark in 2014
Following his strong showings for Manchester City in the early2007–08 season, it was reported on 23 August 2007 thatThe Football Association (FA) were investigating Schmeichel's international status, to see if there was any chance of him foregoing his Danish international status in order to play forEngland.[118] Schmeichel, however, stated that he would only ever play for Denmark.[119]
Schmeichel was called up to the Danish senior team on 13 May 2011 for the first time for the match againstIceland, but remained an unused substitute.[120] On 29 May 2012, he was called up forUEFA Euro 2012 as a third goalkeeper after it became clear thatThomas Sørensen would miss the tournament due to an injury sustained againstBrazil.[121] Schmeichel made his senior debut in a 3–0 friendly match defeat toMacedonia at thePhilip II Arena on 6 February 2013.[122]
On 15 October 2013, Schmeichel had his first ever senior level game in his native Denmark, when he held an easy clean sheet in Denmark's 6–0 win againstMalta in the last2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier. Denmark were eventually runners-up in the group, finishing six points behindItaly, but they did not progress to theplay-offs for thefinals as they were the lowest-ranked team of the nine runners-up.[123]
On 5 March 2014, Schmeichel received his third cap for Denmark in their 1–0 friendly defeat against England atWembley Stadium. Despite defeat, Schmeichel pulled off a string of impressive saves earning plaudits from the media as well as England managerRoy Hodgson.
Schmeichel was selected for the Danish squad for the2018 FIFA World Cup, where he started in three group stage matches. His clean sheet in the opening match contributed to aMan of the Match award and helped Schmeichel set a new record for minutes without conceding a goal for Denmark, surpassing his father's record.[124][125] During theRound of 16 match againstCroatia, Schmeichel was named Man of the Match after saving apenalty-kick taken byLuka Modrić inextra-time and two penalties during the subsequentshootout, although his opposing counterpartDanijel Subašić saved three penalties in that shootout to eliminate Denmark.[126][127]
On 7 July 2021, in the semi-finals ofUEFA Euro 2020 against England atWembley Stadium, Schmeichel saved a penalty fromHarry Kane in extra-time, who subsequently scored from the rebound, which proved to be the decisive goal as England prevailed 2–1.[128] In November 2022, he was named in the 26-man squad for the2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.[129] On 23 March 2024, he earned his 100th international cap in a friendly match againstSwitzerland.[130]
Schmeichel is married to Stine Gyldenbrand.[131] Together, they have three children: a son born in 2010,[132] a daughter born in 2012[133] and a second daughter born in 2021.[132]
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