Silkeborg winger Lucas Riisgaard has been called up to the Denmark Under-21 squad after a rapid rise from amateur football, with his top speed recorded at 37.64 km/h – faster than Kylian Mbappe’s usual mark.
The 22-year-old was selected by coach Lars Knudsen on Tuesday after an explosive breakthrough season in the Danish Superliga. Riisgaard was playing in the lower-tier Sjaellandsserien for Saby Fodbold just two years ago, before a successful spell with Aarhus Fremad led to his move to Silkeborg IF in July 2026.
“I am incredibly proud to have been selected for the national team; it's a milestone in my career, and it really means everything for me,” Riisgaard told Flashscore.com. “To play for your country is as big as it gets, and I am really buzzing right now.”
Speed has been central to his progress, although Riisgaard says it is a natural ability rather than something developed through specialist training.
“I have never trained my speed – not with strength training or those agility runs that some people claim make you faster. I was simply born with my speed,” he said.
“My teammates call me ‘Speedy’. My youth coaches always advised me to just kick the ball in front of the defenders and then outpace them.”
Riisgaard believes his pace creates problems whether he has possession or not, often forcing defenders to foul him or concede a penalty. He says FC Midtjylland’s Mads Bech Sorensen and Brondby captain Luis Binks are the toughest opponents he has faced in the Danish Superliga.
His recorded top speed of 37.64 km/h compares with Mbappe’s usual figures of approximately 36.8 km/h to 37.9 km/h, depending on the competition and measurement method. The Real Madrid striker increased his World Cup tally to a record-breaking 22 goals this summer.
“I think it's incredible that I can measure myself up against the fastest players in the world,” Riisgaard said. “He is obviously one of the biggest names in football, and I only appreciate being compared to him because it creates attention around my performances.”
The call-up is particularly notable because Riisgaard has never been part of an academy or represented Denmark at youth level. He will now join the Under-21 squad as its European Championship qualifying campaign begins in the coming weeks.
“I can't really believe what has happened in my career over the last two years,” he said. “I always believed it would happen eventually, but I hadn't seen it coming this soon. It’s a great example that you can make your breakthrough even if you didn't come through an academy of a big club.”
Riisgaard scored six goals in 13 appearances for Aarhus Fremad before signing a five-year contract with Silkeborg IF. He has scored twice in eight appearances for the club and hopes to use his progress in Denmark to earn a move abroad.
“The dream is to join a team in one of the biggest leagues in Europe, and the ultimate ambition is to one day play for Liverpool or Barcelona,” he said.
He previously joined Maritimo’s Under-19 team in Portugal at 17, but returned home after feeling isolated, struggling to receive his wages and becoming homesick. He said the experience had not ended his ambition of playing internationally.
Riisgaard’s next appearance could come on Friday, when Silkeborg IF face Lyngby in Copenhagen.