Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg reveals his four truths about his role at OM

The new boss of Olympique de Marseille is named Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg. Arriving on the Canebière on July 22 from Tottenham, the native of København embodies, today, the excellent start to the season made by the Marseille club, second in Ligue 1 before welcoming AJ Auxerre on behalf of the 11th day. A leader at heart, impeccable on the pitch, the Danish international (85 caps, 11 goals) brings all his serenity and experience to a squad that is still discovering itself. Questioned by the daily The Teamthe former Bayern Munich player also returned to this perfect integration.

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“I arrived in a locker room with teammates who welcomed me with open arms. This is not necessarily normal and I really appreciated it. I think people very quickly understood that I was a person who would always be there to help others but also to push them even more. It’s my way of being but always with heart”first of all conceded the 1m85 right-hander, already perfectly acclimated to the Marseille environment. With a rich career, the 29-year-old Dane also detailed his role within the Olympian locker room. “If we want to do things well, we must always think about people. Sometimes you have to push, sometimes you have to understand. That's why you can go see a young person and say: “I know you're 19, you weren't feeling well today, come on, it doesn't matter!” I believe it is important to speak to everyone as an equal, without distinction, and once on the ground, you show the direction..

Successful acclimatization

An essential link in the Marseille collective, number 23 of OM has naturally become the privileged relay of Roberto De Zerbi. However, the one who has taken part in 10 matches since the start of this 2024-2025 financial year (896 minutes of play played out of a possible 900) has no intention of disrupting the work of the former Brighton technician. “The coach has his staff, his way of doing things, his office. The door is closed. In the locker room, with all the other players, we talk, we exchange ideas with each other, and our door is closed too.. In his role, the former Bröndby midfielder, despite everything, benefits from his experience and his mastery of different languages ​​to distill his instructions and say things in complete transparency. Aligned as a sentinel, PEH then strives to dictate the pace of meetings, support its partners, and raise its voice when the context requires it. A certain aura that the person concerned justifies in particular by his positioning on the ground.

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A technical leader, a locker room boss

“When you are in the middle of the field, in the center of the game, it is important to maintain order. I'm not a player like Neymar or Haaland, who can make the team win single-handedly even in average matches. I'm a player who needs the team, and I think everyone has a role to play in making the bike work. Some will have to accelerate, others slow down a little. I want everyone to take responsibility for their role, it is in these cases that the team becomes very strong”. Captain of OM three times since the restart (Toulouse, Nice, Strasbourg), the man who opened his goal counter against Montpellier during the 8th day of Ligue 1 strives, moreover, to play the perfect intermediary between the different members of the locker room, without playing the role of savior.

“I'm not here to do everything, I'm part of a team. Everyone has a role to play once again. If we have a medal at the end, we will all have the same one. This is why it is important that everyone understands their role in training, in matches, in the locker room. Some players are not going to play too much this season but they have a big responsibility to make the sessions even harder. Because next year, when there is the Champions League, with two matches per week, we will have to be ready and we will be rewarded if we have done the job well this year. It's not easy of course because we all signed for OM to be on the field. But everyone has value, whether you play or not, whether you are first or second goalkeeper..

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Unifying, more determined than ever and technical leader on the field, Höjbjerg is, in any case, one of the great satisfactions of this start of the season. Impressive in recovery, reassuring for his teammates and valuable in his team's weak moments, the Dane proves, weekend after weekend, his footballing qualities and his preponderant influence in the locker room. An undeniable and valuable contribution justifying, in large part, the excellent start of the Olympians. At a time when the Marseille ship is sailing towards its European ambitions, its captain Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg is making sure to stay the course.