Mikkel Desler

Mikkel Desler

Desler with Toulouse in 2023
Personal information
Full name	Mikkel Desler Puggaard
Date of birth	(1995-02-19) 19 February 1995 (age 29)
Place of birth	Assens, Denmark
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) [1]
Position(s)	Right-back, right midfielder
Team information
Current team	Austin FC
Number	3
Youth career
	Assens FC
	OB
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2014–2019	OB	116	(1)
2019–2021	Haugesund	67	(2)
2021–2024	Toulouse	89	(2)
2024–	Austin	6	(0)
International career
2011	Denmark U16	1	(0)
2011–2012	Denmark U17	7	(0)
2012–2013	Denmark U18	4	(1)
2013	Denmark U19	2	(0)
2014	Denmark U20	1	(0)
2015–2017	Denmark U21	11	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:35, 22 September 2024 (UTC)

Mikkel Desler Puggaard (born 19 February 1995) is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a right-back or right midfielder for Major League Soccer club Austin FC. ^[2]

Club career

OB

In February 2014, Desler attracted interest from several clubs, among others Parma and Roma. At the time, he was compared to former Roma player Daniele De Rossi. ^[3]

On 8 May 2014, Desler got his debut for OB, replacing Mustafa Abdellaoue in the 73rd minute in a 2–1 victory against Randers FC in the Danish Superliga. ^[4]

At the age of 19, Desler was promoted into the first team squad in the summer 2014 and also signed a new three-year contract with OB, after an impressive performance on a training camp with the first team in the winter 2014. ^[5]

Haugesund

On 19 March 2019, Desler signed with Norwegian Eliteserien side Haugesund. ^{[6] [7]}

Toulouse

Desler joined French side Toulouse in 2021. He helped the club win the 2021–22 Ligue 2, and finished in the league's Team of the Year. ^[8] He also achieved the 2022–23 Coupe de France with the club, securing their first-ever title in the competition. ^[9]

Austin FC

On June 3, 2024, it was confirmed that Desler had signed a 3.5-year contract, with an option for an additional year, with American MLS club Austin FC. He joined the club on a free transfer as his contract at Toulouse expired at the end of June 2024. ^[10]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 21 September 2024 ^[11]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup [lower-alpha 1]		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Odense Boldklub	2013–14	Danish Superliga	2	0	0	0	—		—		2	0
	2014–15	Danish Superliga	27	0	0	0	—		—		27	0
	2015–16	Danish Superliga	19	0	0	0	—		—		19	0
	2016–17	Danish Superliga	34	1	0	0	—		—		34	1
	2017–18	Danish Superliga	22	0	0	0	—		—		22	0
	2018–19	Danish Superliga	12	0	2	0	—		—		14	0
	Total		116	1	2	0	—		—		118	1
Haugesund	2019	Eliteserien	29	1	5	0	6 [lower-alpha 2]	0	—		40	1
	2020	Eliteserien	28	0	0	0	—		—		28	0
	2021	Eliteserien	10	1	0	0	—		—		10	1
	Total		67	2	5	0	6	0	—		78	2
Toulouse	2021–22	Ligue 2	38	1	2	0	—		—		40	1
	2022–23	Ligue 1	27	1	5	0	—		—		32	1
	2023–24	Ligue 1	24	0	0	0	7 [lower-alpha 2]	1	0	0	31	1
	Total		89	2	7	0	7	1	0	0	102	3
Austin FC	2024	Major League Soccer	6	0	—		—		3 [lower-alpha 3]	0	9	0
Career total			277	5	14	0	13	1	3	0	307	6

1. Includes Danish Cup, Norwegian Football Cup, Coupe de France
2. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
3. Appearances in Leagues Cup

Honours

Toulouse

• Coupe de France: 2022–23 ^[9]
• Ligue 2: 2021–22 ^[12]

Individual

• UNFP Ligue 2 Team of the Year: 2021–22 ^[13]

References

1. "Mikkel Desler". Toulouse FC. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
2. MLS Soccer staff (3 June 2024). "Austin FC sign defender Mikkel Desler". MLSSoccer.com.
3. "Medie: Serie A-klubber lurer på OB-talent". tipsbladet.dk. 4 February 2014.
4. "OB vs. Randers - 8 May 2014". Soccerway. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
5. "Tre år i OB til midtbanetalent". bold.dk. 20 February 2014.
6. "Midt i succes: OB sælger OL-spiller". Ekstra Bladet. 19 March 2019.
7. "Medie: OB sælger Mikkel Desler". Fyens Stiftstidende. 19 March 2019.
8. "Danskerduo på årets hold i Frankrig" [Danish duo on this year's team in France]. TV2 Sport (in Danish). 16 May 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
9. Mayen, Philippe (29 April 2023). "Ô Toulouse... FC !" [O Toulouse...FC!!]. FFF - Fédération Française de Football (in French). Retrieved 1 May 2023.
10. "Austin FC Signs Danish Defender Mikkel Desler". AustinFC.com. Austin FC. 3 June 2024. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
11. "Mikkel Desler". Soccerway.com. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
12. "Ligue 2 : Toulouse sacré champion, Dunkerque descend en National" [Ligue 2: Toulouse crowned champion, Dunkerque goes down to the National]. Le Figaro (in French). 7 May 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
13. UNFP [@UNFP] (15 May 2022). "Un onze-type qui a vu la vie en rose cette saison, ne cuvée 2021-2022 qui a fière allure, n'est-ce pas" (Tweet) – via Twitter.

External links

• Mikkel Desler at Soccerway
• Mikkel Desler national team profile at the Danish Football Association (in Danish)
• Mikkel Desler – French league stats at Ligue 1 – also available in French