Scandinavian football style in Salzburg | OneFootball

'Salzburger Halbzeit' interview with Mads Bidstrup

The sun is shining outside of the window and there is a Flat White in the hands of Mads Bidstrup - there is nothing more he could want on a spring day. The 24-year-old is sitting back and enjoying life in Ma Makers, one of his favourite cafes in Salzburg.

"It feels similar to the Copenhagen lifestyle for me here, and they even have Danish breakfast on the menu. It's really close to the real thing! They know me well by now because I come here so often. I have a good coffee machine at home, but I prefer to leave that to the professionals in the cafés!“

Drinking coffee together isn't just a means to an end for Mads. Spending time relaxing together and having a good chat with family and friends is right at the top of his priority list in his free time - perhaps because it reminds him of the lifestyle in his homeland. "I love Copenhagen with all my heart, and it will always be my favourite city. I don't feel homesick though as I really appreciate life here in Salzburg! Being able to spend time here with the boys and my girlfriend is a real privilege - this city is fantastic. Copenhagen isn't far from here, either.“ A huge advantage on his arrival in Salzburg came in the presence of Maurits Kjaergaard - who gave his fellow Dane the warmest of welcomes. The pair knew one another from Denmark U21 and quickly became inseparable at our club. "I hope Mau realises how much his support meant to me in my early days here and still means today! He was a huge help in me settling in so quickly here in the team and in general. He means the world to me and showed me just what it means to have a friend who only wants the best for you. I hope Adam [Daghim] feels the same way about us. I would do anything for anyone on the team, but having this little Danish connection is really nice."

Mads actually regularly came to Austria in his younger years, for a ski holiday one week per year. The Bidstrup Family never made it to Salzburg, however. The midfield battler still appreciates family time, having two or three video calls back home every week. There is one topic he is sure to chat endlessly about with his father - football.

"I was three or four years old when my dad took me to my first training session. He's a huge football fan himself, so it probably was a bit of a dream for him. I always just really enjoyed being outside with my friends and playing football though. We went to watch a lot of FC Copenhagen games at the stadium as a child – watching my first Champions League matches there was an incredible experience for me! It was the same when we travelled to Old Trafford in Manchester, because my dad and I are both huge United fans!"

There is one former Red Devil that was a big influence on a young Mads - both as a footballer and beyond - David Beckham.

"He's definitely the most-searched-for person on my Pinterest profile, I still get inspired a lot today. Back then, every boy asked for either the Cristiano Ronaldo or David Beckham hairstyle, and for me, it was Beckham. That slicked-back hair was awesome!"

Being stylish is something he was destined for at an even earlier age, with both his parents working for a distribution company in the beauty industry. "The perfume collection at my parents' house is enormous," laughs the 24-year-old. It's not just David Beckham and his parents who have influenced the blond midfielder's appearance, his hometown and his friends also play a big role – it's not for nothing that Copenhagen is considered the fashion capital of Scandinavia.

"I have some friends who are really into fashion and now own their own stores or even brands. We have some chat groups where we exchange ideas and think about what would work well together, what would look cool. They're naturally even bigger fashion experts, and I get a lot of good ideas from them."

It is no surprise to hear that European and Scandinavian brands dominate Mads’s wardrobe. He is wearing Swedish shoes and Danish trousers, for instance, to our interview. "I just like the Scandinavian Way," he says.

The 1.75-metre midfielder not only hits style notes with his outfits, but also with his wide range of tattoos. In fact, wide barely begins to describe the eclectic mix of ink, as he himself says …

"Some of them have a biblical connection. I'm a Christian, so I have some Bible verses on my arms. They're important to me, and I pray every night. I don't believe every single word of the Bible, but my faith makes me feel good, and it also helps me in football, especially before big games, to remind myself through prayer that there is ultimately something greater.   I also have some tattoos dedicated to my family, my mother and father. There are also some that are really random, like Darth Vader, for example. I've always been a huge Star Wars fan! I always wanted to have some meaningful tattoos, but also some just of things that I think are cool, and I've always loved watching movies. I still enjoy going to the cinema today." The cup of Flat White is slowly emptying as we ask Mads what he is getting up to on this splendid Spring day. The answer may be unspectacular but perfectly fits his down-to-earth persona.

"I like going to the vegetable market at Universitätsplatz in Salzburg.

My girlfriend and I love to cook a lot! We try to make healthy food that tastes good – which is, of course, not always the easiest task. We like to go to the fruit and vegetable market for the ingredients. We're also currently trying our hands at baking our own sourdough bread. Otherwise, I also like to play PlayStation, simply because it's a great way to stay in touch with my friends from home. We play games like Fortnite online and chat with each other using our headsets, so we stay in touch that way. I also need a lot of time to recover after games and training sessions – so I really do sleep a lot."

There is definitely plenty of cause to recover, with a potentially pivotal title battle ahead for Mads & Co this weekend, with the Dane looking forward to a superb crowd.

"The fans give us so much, and I'm happy when we can give something back. You could see it clearly in the last game against Sturm, when we made a comeback and got such a boost from the stands. I hope the fans realise how important they are to us! Together we can really achieve great things and continue to build on what we've already managed."

The 24-year-old is seeking to drive us on as captain – a position that he just took on this spring. He is not alone in finding his way into the role, however.

"It's my first time as captain, and I had to get used to it. You're under even more scrutiny and have even more responsibility, but I like that! It also helps me a lot to have experienced team-mates like Alex, Karim, and Janis around me. They already know the football business very well, and I ask them a lot for advice and their opinions. I think we've been able to get some things going in the right direction, so that we can now fully go as a unit into the title race this spring!"

Gallery: Salzburger Halbzeit with Mads Bidstrup