Kevin Mensah
Full nameKevin Niclas Mensah
Birth date15 May 1991 (age 35)
Birth placeViborg, Denmark
Height1.74 m
PositionFull-back,[1] forward
CurrentclubBrøndby (individual development coach)
Youthyears 11998–2003
Youthclubs 1Viborg Søndermarken IK[2]
Youthyears 22003–2008
Youthclubs 2FK Viborg
Years 12008–2015
Clubs 1Viborg FF
Caps 1110
Goals 120
Years 22015–2017
Clubs 2Esbjerg fB
Caps 238
Goals 28
Years 32017–2024
Clubs 3Brøndby
Caps 3126
Goals 35
Totalcaps274
Totalgoals33
Nationalyears 12007
Nationalteam 1Denmark U16
Nationalcaps 12
Nationalgoals 10
Nationalyears 22007–2008
Nationalteam 2Denmark U17
Nationalcaps 212
Nationalgoals 21
Nationalyears 32008–2009
Nationalteam 3Denmark U18
Nationalcaps 34
Nationalgoals 32
Nationalyears 42009
Nationalteam 4Denmark U19
Nationalcaps 45
Nationalgoals 41
Nationalyears 52010
Nationalteam 5Denmark U20
Nationalcaps 53
Nationalgoals 50

Kevin Niclas Mensah (born 15 May 1991) is a Danish former professional footballer who works as an individual development coach at Brøndby IF.

Mensah began his senior career as a forward at Viborg FF in 2008. He joined Esbjerg fB in 2015 and moved to Brøndby in January 2017, where he played until December 2024. At Brøndby he converted from forward to full-back and made 156 first-team appearances. He was named vice-captain in 2019 and club captain in 2023, and won the Danish Cup in 2017–18 and the Danish Superliga in 2020–21.

At international level, Mensah earned 26 youth caps for Denmark across the under-16 to under-20 age groups, scoring four goals. He retired from playing in July 2025 and joined Brøndby's coaching staff.

Career

Viborg FF

Mensah played his first years of youth football for Søndermarkens IK in his hometown Viborg. When he was 15 he signed with Viborg FF after being part of talent project FK Viborg.[3]

In 2008, he trained regularly with the Danish Superliga squad for Viborg FF, and on 2 May 2009, at 17 years of age, he scored his first goal for the team, in a 2–0 win over Thisted FC in the Danish second tier.[4] The day before his 18th birthday, he was permanently promoted to the first team.[5] He had previously been on trial at Premier League clubs Arsenal and Newcastle United for several laps despite his young age.[6]

On 30 June 2011, his contract with Viborg FF expired, and a few days before he went on a trial with FC Nordsjælland without this materialising in a contract offer.[7] Therefore, Mensah returned to Viborg FF to keep his physical shape straight together with former teammates. When he still had not received any offers from clubs at the beginning of the next season, he started playing as an amateur for Viborg FF. In August 2011, the club offered him a new professional contract,[8] which meant that he signed a two-year deal with the Viborg FF in October 2011.[9]

After Viborg FF reached promotion to the Superliga in 2013, Mensah signed another two-year contract extension keeping him in his hometown club until 30 June 2015.[10]

Esbjerg fB

On 2 February 2015 Esbjerg fB signed Mensah. Originally, he would transfer to Esbjerg in the summer of 2015. However, Viborg and Esbjerg reached an agreement on a transfer on the last day of the January transfer window, as Viborg had found a replacement for him in the meantime.[11]

On 2 March 2015, Mensah made his debut for Esbjerg in a Danish Superliga match against AaB, coming in as a 72nd-minute substitute for Mohammed Fellah.[12]

Brøndby

On 23 January 2017, Brøndby confirmed that they had reached an agreement with Esbjerg for the transfer of Mensah.[13] He signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with the club.[14] Due to a groin injury, he made his debut months later on 10 April 2017, coming off the bench for Kamil Wilczek in the 74th minute during a 1–0 loss to Copenhagen in a derby at Brøndby Stadium.[15][16] He scored his first goal for the club on 7 May in a 4–2 away loss to Midtjylland.[17]

In the final match of the 2017–18 season, Mensah tore his anterior cruciate ligament, requiring knee surgery that sidelined him for seven to nine months.[18]

After making his return in February 2019, and following the departure of right-back Johan Larsson to Guingamp, Brøndby head coach Alexander Zorniger opted to move Mensah to right back to accommodate the shortage of backs in the squad, which meant that he would serve as the backup to Jens Martin Gammelby.[1] Due to Anthony Jung's poor form at left back, Mensah was utilised in this position too in the 2018–19 season with great success.[19]

In July 2019, he was appointed new vice-captain of the club.[20]

On 6 March 2022, Mensah tore his anterior cruciate ligament once again in a league match against Silkeborg, and was expected to be sidelined for a year.[21]

After Andreas Maxsø's departure in January 2023, Mensah was appointed Brøndby's captain by new head coach Jesper Sørensen.[22] He made his comeback on 10 April 2023, 13 months after suffering the knee injury, replacing Blas Riveros in the 64th minute of a 2–1 loss to Nordsjælland.[23][24] In June 2023, Mensah extended his contract with Brøndby until 31 December 2024.[25]

On 10 December 2024, Brøndby announced that Mensah's contract would not be renewed, confirming his departure upon its expiration on 31 December.[26] In July 2025, his retirement was confirmed as he accepted a coaching position with Brøndby.

Coaching career

Mensah's playing contract with Brøndby expired in December 2024, and he spent six months without a new club.[26][27] On 4 July 2025, he announced his retirement as a player and was appointed to the Brøndby coaching staff under head coach Frederik Birk, with responsibility for individual player development in the first-team squad.[28][29] Football director Benjamin Schmedes cited Mensah's leadership qualities and knowledge of the club's culture as reasons for the appointment, describing him as a kulturbærer (culture bearer) of Brøndby.[29] Mensah described the move as a natural step that allowed him to remain at the club in a different capacity.[30]

Personal life

His brother Jeff Mensah, also a professional footballer, retired in 2022.[31] Kevin Mensah holds both Ghanaian and Danish passports.[32]

Mensah has pursued education alongside his playing career. During his time at Esbjerg fB he completed his upper-secondary studies online while playing in the Danish Superliga, and at Brøndby he enrolled in a bachelor's programme at Erhvervsakademi Aarhus.[33] He told FIFPRO in 2021 that his recurring injuries had prompted him to broaden his skill set, and that the Danish players' union Spillerforeningen had supported him in pursuing further education.[34]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueDanish CupEuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Viborg2008–09[35]Danish 1st Division9100——91
2009–10[35]18210——192
2010–11[35]22300——223
2011–12[35]13221——153
2012–13[35]15300——153
2013–14[36]Danish Superliga29820——318
2014–15[37]Danish 1st Division4100——41
Total1102051——11521
Esbjerg fB2014–15[37]Danish Superliga9122——113
2015–16[38]16611——177
2016–17[39]13110——141
Total38843——4211
Brøndby2016–17[39]Danish Superliga8110——91
2017–18[40]152103[a]0—192
2018–19[41]7031—1[b]0111
2019–20[42]260205[a]0—330
2020–21[43]23100——231
2021–22[44]201208[c]0—301
2022–23[45]900000—90
2023–24[46]18030——210
Total1265121170101566
Career total274332151701031338
  1. ^ Appearances in the UEFA Europa League
  2. ^ Appearance in Danish Superliga Europa League play-off
  3. ^ Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, six appearances in UEFA Europa League

Honours

Viborg

Brøndby

References

  1. ^ Jensen, Kenneth & Arp, Andreas. "Mensah er klar til omskoling: Har altid vidst, jeg vil være højre back" (in Danish). Tipsbladet. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Kevin Mensah - fra Viborg til Vestegnen med et smil". brondby.com. Brøndby IF. 12 November 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  3. ^ Viborg sikrer sig stortalent Archived 2006-10-20 at the Wayback Machine Fodboldnyt.com, 18. oktober 2006
  4. ^ 17 årig sikrer Viborg FF sejr over TFC DR Midt/Vest 2 May 2009
  5. ^ Mensah rykkes op i A-truppen Viborg FF – officiel site
  6. ^ "Viborg F.F. – Kevin Mensah" (in Danish). Viborg F.F.. Archived from the original on 21 June 2009.
  7. ^ Kristensen, Danni (29 June 2011). "Kevin Mensah prøver sig af i Nordsjælland" (in Danish). Viborg Stifts Folkeblad. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  8. ^ Blond, Mikael (31 August 2011). "Kevin Mensah prøver sig af i Nordsjælland" (in Danish). Bold.dk. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  9. ^ Viborg F.F. skriver med Kevin Mensah Viborg FF, accessed 10 May 2019
  10. ^ Helmin, Jesper (17 June 2013). "Mensah forlænger med Viborg" (in Danish). Bold.dk. Archived from the original on 20 June 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  11. ^ Kevin Mensah skifter omgående til EfB Archived 2015-02-03 at the Wayback Machine, efb.dk, 2 Februar 2015. Accessed 10 May 2019
  12. ^ "EFB 1-3 AaB". superstats.dk. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  13. ^ "Kevin Mensah skifter til Brøndby IF" (in Danish). Brøndby IF. 23 January 2017. Archived 17 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  14. ^ Miles, Peter (23 January 2017). "Kevin Mensah skifter til Brøndby" (in Danish). bold.dk. Archived 28 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  15. ^ Miles, Peter (22 March 2017). "Mensah i spil til Brøndby-debut efter pausen" (in Danish). bold.dk. Archived 29 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  16. ^ Tornby, Gustav (18 April 2017). "Mensah: Er kommet for at vinde kampe" (in Danish). Tipsbladet. Archived 3 July 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  17. ^ Ettinger-Erichsen, Robin (8 May 2017). "Målscorer Mensah: Ikke Brøndby værdigt" (in Danish). Tipsbladet. Archived 8 May 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  18. ^ "Kevin Mensah er ude med skade i syv måneder" (in da-DK). DR. 23 May 2018. Archived 10 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  19. ^ "Brøndby-chef fik svar: Jeg er stadig bekymret". Ekstra-Bladet. 22 April 2019.
  20. ^ Hoffskov, Ole (11 July 2019). "Kevin Mensah ny viceanfører i Brøndby IF". Tipsbladet. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  21. ^ "Kevin Mensah har overrevet sit korsbånd" (in Danish). Brøndby IF. 8 March 2022. Archived 8 March 2022 at the Wayback Machine.
  22. ^ Nelausen, Raymund (15 February 2023). "Kevin Mensah er ny anfører i Brøndby" (in Danish). bold.dk. Archived 15 March 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  23. ^ "Nordsjælland vs. Brøndby 2–1: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Archived 8 October 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  24. ^ Bellaiche, Emil (11 April 2023). "Mensah kunne ikke nyde sit comeback: En følelsesmæssig tid" (in Danish). bold.dk. Archived 11 April 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  25. ^ "Brøndby IF og Kevin Mensah forlænger" (in Danish). Brøndby IF. 2 June 2023. Archived 8 October 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  26. ^ "Farvel til Kevin Mensah" (in Danish). Brøndby IF. 10 December 2024. Archived 16 December 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  27. ^ "Mensah på klubjagt: Alt er i spil" (in Danish). Bold.dk. 16 December 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  28. ^ Mielcke, Thomas (4 July 2025). "Fodboldspilleren Kevin Mensah stopper karrieren og bliver træner" [Footballer Kevin Mensah retires from football and becomes coach] (in Danish). Viborg Folkeblad. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  29. ^ "Kevin Mensah tilknyttes Superliga-trænerstaben" [Kevin Mensah joins the Superliga coaching staff] (in Danish). Brøndby IF. 4 July 2025. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  30. ^ "Mensah: Dejligt at være tilbage" (in Danish). Brøndby IF. July 2025. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  31. ^ "Jeff Mensah stopper karrieren" (in da-DK). Viborg FF. 29 January 2022. Archived 31 January 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  32. ^ "Danish giants Brøndby announce signing of Danish-born Ghanaian striker Kevin Mensah on three-year deal". Ghana Soccernet. 24 January 2017. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  33. ^ "Brøndbyspiller Kevin Mensah: Flere bolde i luften" (in Danish). Ufiltreret. 15 February 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  34. ^ "Danish champion Kevin Mensah: "I want to be ready for the next thing"". FIFPRO. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
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