Axel Kryger

Axel Kryger

Picture of Axel Kryger
Personal information
Date of birth	(1997-10-21) 21 October 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth	Sandnes, Norway
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) [1]
Position(s)	Center-back
Team information
Current team	Kristiansund
Number	14
Youth career
0000–2013	Sandnes Ulf
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2014	Lura
2015–2019	Sandnes Ulf	90	(7)
2020–2022	Sogndal	66	(1)
2022–2025	Bryne	75	(6)
2025–	Kristiansund	1	(0)
International career
2015	Norway U18	7	(0)
2016	Norway U19	1	(0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 12 September 2025

Axel Kryger (born 21 October 1997) is a Norwegian footballer who plays as a central defender for Kristiansund. He also played over 200 games in the Norwegian First Division.

Career

He hails from Trones in central Sandnes. ^[2] After playing for Sandnes Ulf up to U16 level, he started his senior career in lowly Lura in 2014 before returning to Sandnes Ulf and their senior team in 2015. He was also capped as a Norway youth international. Kryger subsequently played 100 games for Sandnes Ulf in league and cup competitions. ^[3]

After the 2019 season, Kryger left Sandnes for the first time as he signed for Sogndal. ^[4] He was described as a workhorse. ^{[5] [6]}

In the summer of 2022, Kryger moved back to Rogaland and Bryne. ^[7] Then-pundit Vegard Hansen stated that Bryne was a "winner" of the transfer window, crediting their 7 points in 3 recent matches with the arrival of Kryger, Jørgen Hatlehol and Jens Husebø. ^[8] Kryger stated that he had "no feelings for Sandnes Ulf" anymore. ^[9]

On 2 November 2024, Kryger scored a decisive goal as Bryne beat Egersund 2–1 and won promotion to the Eliteserien, for the first time since 2003. ^{[10] [11]} He also renewed his contract, which was about to expire. ^[12] Kryger would make his Eliteserien debut in 2025 as team captain. ^[13]

On 21 April, Kryger both recorded his first Eliteserien victory and his first goal, as Haugesund was beat 3–1. Kryger was declared man of the match locally, and as such he received a live lamb. ^[14] Some regarded it as a fun media jippo; however the Norwegian Society for Protection of Animals claimed it to violate animal welfare laws. Bryne countered that the lamb was only symbolic. ^[15]

Personal life

Kryger settled in Sandnes. ^[16] By 2025, he had two children. ^[17]

Career statistics

As of 12 September 2025 ^[3]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Sandnes Ulf	2015	1. divisjon	7	0	0	0	—		7	0
	2016	1. divisjon	3	0	1	0	—		4	0
	2017	1. divisjon	23	3	2	0	1 [a]	0	26	3
	2018	1. divisjon	28	4	3	2	—		31	6
	2019	1. divisjon	29	0	3	0	—		32	0
	Total		90	7	9	2	1	0	100	9
Sogndal	2020	1. divisjon	27	0	—		2 [a]	0	29	0
	2021	1. divisjon	25	0	3	1	1 [a]	0	29	1
	2022	1. divisjon	14	1	3	1	—		17	2
	Total		66	1	6	2	3	0	75	3
Bryne	2022	1. divisjon	10	1	1	0	—		11	1
	2023	1. divisjon	28	0	3	0	1 [a]	0	32	0
	2024	1. divisjon	20	3	0	0	—		20	3
	2025	Eliteserien	17	2	4	1	—		21	3
	Total		75	6	8	1	1	0	84	6
Kristiansund	2025	Eliteserien	1	0	0	0	—		1	0
Career total			232	14	23	5	5	0	260	19

1. Appearance(s) in Eliteserien play-offs

References

1. Axel Kryger at Soccerway
2. Ulloa, Daniel Skutle (4 November 2024). "Axel (27) fra Trones fikk sin store drøm oppfylt – neste år venter storkanonene". Sandnesposten (in Norwegian). Retrieved 27 April 2025.
3. Axel Kryger at the Norwegian Football Federation (in Norwegian)
4. "Forsvarsspiller forlater Sandnes Ulf". 100% Sport (in Norwegian). Bergens Tidende. 17 December 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
5. Romøren, Endre (28 June 2022). "Det er éin spesiell grunn til at me bør hylla desse to slitarane litt ekstra". Sogn Avis (in Norwegian Nynorsk). Retrieved 27 April 2025.
6. Romøren, Endre (11 May 2021). "Axel (23) slutta med fotball og satsa på ein anna idrett – no ser han tidlegare treningskamerat herja i verdstoppen". Sogn Avis (in Norwegian Nynorsk). Retrieved 27 April 2025.
7. "Axel Kryger går frå Sogndal til Bryne" (in Norwegian Nynorsk). NRK. 9 August 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
8. Lübeck, Even (5 September 2022). "Dette er ekspertens vinnere og tapere av overgangsvinduet i OBOS-ligaen" (in Norwegian). Eurosport. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
9. Nærland, Egil Ø. (2 September 2023). "Axel Kryger: – Jeg har ingen følelser for Sandnes Ulf". Stavanger Aftenblad (in Norwegian). Retrieved 27 April 2025.
10. "Bryne rykket opp til Eliteserien – slo Egersund 2-1" (in Norwegian). Nettavisen. Norwegian News Agency. 2 November 2024. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
11. Bratland, Tore Ulrik (2 November 2024). "Kaos etter opprykk". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved 27 April 2025.
12. Sel, Tarjei (25 November 2024). "Scoret årets mål - blir med til eliten". Jærbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved 27 April 2025.
13. Langeveld, Espen (7 March 2025). "Stygge bilder for Eliteserie-kaptein: – Ikke bra" (in Norwegian). TV 2. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
14. "Bryne vant – banens beste fikk lam i premie" (in Norwegian). Nettavisen. Norwegian News Agency. 21 April 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
15. "Dyrebeskyttelsen raser mot fotballklubbens lamme-stunt: – Bare helt idioti" (in Norwegian). Nettavisen. Norwegian News Agency. 24 April 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
16. Sel, Tarjei (11 September 2022). "Axel var kontroversiell, men nå bør alt være tilgitt og glemt". Jærbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved 27 April 2025.
17. Haugland, Mats (3 March 2025). "Medaljens bakside: – Jeg kjenner på et skikkelig savn". Stavanger Aftenblad (in Norwegian). Retrieved 27 April 2025.