Morten Hjulmand grew up in Copenhagen and moved abroad young, to Admira Wacker in Austria. A move to Lecce in 2021 brought him to wider attention: he helped the club win promotion to Serie A and later captained them.
Sporting CP signed him in 2023, and he immediately became captain of Rúben Amorim’s side. Sporting won back-to-back Portuguese titles in 2023/24 and 2024/25, with Hjulmand screening the defence and setting the tone in midfield.
Atlético Madrid signed him in summer 2026. Hjulmand is a regular for Denmark and played at Euro 2024.
Playing style
Hjulmand is a commanding holding midfielder. He protects the defence, wins the ball back through tackles and interceptions, and uses his physical presence to dominate midfield battles. With the ball he is calm and accurate, and he can play forward passes that start attacks. At Sporting he also developed as a leader, captaining the team to two league titles. His combination of defensive solidity and leadership made him an attractive signing for Atlético.
International career
Hjulmand made his Denmark debut in 2022 and played at Euro 2024, scoring a stunning long-range goal against England in the group stage. He has become a regular in Denmark’s midfield.
Career in numbers
Hjulmand’s senior club career, which began in 2018/19, has so far brought 319 appearances and 11 goals for 4 clubs. His most productive season in front of goal was 2023/24, when he scored 4 times in 49 games for Sporting CP. So far in 2026/27 he has made 8 appearances for Atlético Madrid. The full season-by-season record is in the Stats section of this profile.