A look at Kenneth Heiner-Moller, Canada Soccer’s newly named sporting director, national teams.
Born: Jan. 17, 1971 in Gentofte, Denmark.
Education: Earned a minor degree in sport in 1994 and a degree in psychology studies in 2005, both at the University of Copenhagen.
Playing Career: A midfielder and forward, Heiner-Moller turned pro at 17 and played in Denmark and abroad. He spent two seasons with Hungary’s Ferencvarosi, winning the league once and the Hungarian Cup twice before retiring early after a serious leg injury playing in Denmark.
Coaching Career: He was 33 when he started his coaching career on crutches, coaching an under-19 men’s teams before taking charge of the Brondby IF women’s squad. After returning to school, he coached the Danish women from 2006 to 2013, taking them to the 2007 World Cup. After stepping down as coach, he took a job with the Danish equivalent to Own The Podium, as a high-performance manager.
Canada: He took a leave from his Denmark job to help Canada coach John Herdman at the 2016 Olympics. He stayed with the program and, in January 2018, took over as head coach when Herdman switched to the Canadian men. He stepped down in August 2020 to take a technical role with the Danish Football Association. Spent the last year as technical director of MLS expansion side San Diego FC.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 23, 2026
The Canadian Press
