He wouldn't want to trade the Netherlands for Denmark, but Danish-Spanish football analyst Kenneth Pérez will never get used to bitterballen and beer: "In Denmark, sociability is defined differently. You sit down somewhere nice with a cup of coffee or glass of wine." And we will pronounce 'Hygge' properly once and for all.
Text Karine Bloem
Who is Kenneth Pérez?
I am originally from Denmark and my mother is Spanish, hence Pérez. Officially, my name is Dahl Jensen from my surname. We lived with the family -I also have an older brother- in a suburb of Copenhagen and I looked so different from all the blonde kids there, so I thought Pérez was more appropriate as a first surname. My father was an entrepreneur and my mother a stay-at-home mother. They are still happily married. No exciting or difficult background like many footballers have, just a normal, nice childhood. My brother and I were always playing football outside in the street.
I played football in Denmark with FC Copenhagen and for my football career we moved to the Netherlands with the whole family in 1997. I started at MVV (Maastricht; ed), not such a big club but premier league. We thought for a few years, but that turned out differently, haha.
I think the Netherlands is a wonderful country to live in and I wouldn't want to go back to Denmark now. We have really found our niche here. Of course, I do miss the Danish humour. It's very cynical, making fun of each other with a wink.
There are also some typically Danish delicacies that I miss. Danish chocolate, for example. It is SO good! Especially Anthon Berg's, filled with marzipan. It's just a different kind of candy than in the Netherlands. And Hygge (pronounced as hû-gah; (ed.) of course, the Danish equivalent of conviviality. That's not beer and bitterballen! In Denmark cosiness is defined differently, more like sitting somewhere nice with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine. Beer and bitterballen -often associated with watching football- is a Dutch habit that I have never been able to appreciate.
Despite my Spanish appearance, I mostly feel very Danish. A deal is a deal, I like clarity. The Spanish 'mañana mañana mentality' doesn't suit me. I may say I have the Spanish temperament, but my father is a Dane and also very temperamental. Even though you are a product of two cultures, as a human being you are never just one thing.
School went easily for me and it was not written in the stars that I would become a professional footballer, but my only interest was just football. It has been a natural progression, so I never thought about what else I would have done. Not an office job anyway! Maybe journalist or pilot. Something with freedom.
Fortunately, the current pandemic situation has not too adversely affected my work as a football analyst. That is all ongoing. Last March/April was uncertain for a while, but now the frequency is back to normal.
I am also setting up a fund in real estate with a good friend. Specifically aimed at footballers. These are often young people who don't really know how to handle their assets yet. With this, we hope to prevent them from squandering their money. It is still in its infancy.
Flavours
I don't easily admire people but I do find many people 'cool'. Usually these are people who are good at their jobs. Like Matthijs van Nieuwkerk and Wilfried de Jong. I found them a 'cool' duo when they presented Holland Sport together (from 2003 to 2008; ed).
I actually admire all craftsmen. Whether this is a chef or a tailor. People who do craft, or very good work. People who have found their passion and go full steam ahead with it. That is often quite exciting, when they let go of certainties for this.
And okay, within football Michael Laudrup, Denmark's greatest footballer (and now coach; ed).
Inspiration
I like to read books by Ken Follett. These are those thousand-page books. He is one of those writers who can carry you away so much that you are really glued to the book. I then want nothing more than to read the next page while there are so many other distractions, such as Netflix. I have more with series than with films, by the way. The best series I have ever seen is Entourage. Which, by the way, is not from Netflix but from HBO. It is loosely based on the life of Mark Wahlberg. I have an incredibly nice life myself; good marriage, nice children, but I would like to trade places with him, haha!
Netflix has pretty much played out by now. I love Peaky Blinders and Homeland. Right now I'm watching Firefly Lane, a new series there, with my wife. But my absolute all-time favourite is Friends. We have watched that about 20 times and we always come back to it when there is nothing to watch. Even my children (aged 18 and 21) have totally embraced it. In terms of films, I would say The Shawshank Redemption as a favourite. On the bike, I listen to what Spotify presents me with. Today's Top Hits. The last song I listened to was by The Kid Laroi, Without You.
I think Ed Sheeran is a rock-solid artist. Especially his latest album Afterglow. He makes such cool songs every time! And my kids have good music taste, so I often listen to what they have on.
Clothes make the man
For me, clothes are mostly practical. So that you don't walk naked in the street, haha! Quality and comfort come first. I like close-fitting but with freedom of movement. The shirt we designed with Labfresh is a perfect example. Privately, I mainly wear casual clothes: a hoodie and jeans. But from good brands. It can cost a bit extra. I buy less but more consciously.
Professionally, I am sponsored by Pauw and I have a stylist. The clothes I get to wear are really next level. I then mostly wear shirts from 100 Hands or Labfresh.
For Labfresh, I am an ambassador. Kasper (Brandi Petersen, founder -red.) is Dane and then you have a connection pretty quickly. They approached me whether I was interested. I was immediately enthusiastic. Mainly because of the technical aspect (stain- and odourless material -red.) and the fit. Of course, it is also very cool to have a shirt with my name on it. I wouldn't need my own label, despite some (ex)footballers starting one. That's not where my interest lies. Clothing I find too ephemeral.
Armcandy
My dream watch is an Audemars Piguet Ultra Thin. I'm waiting for that right now. There's a huge waiting list for it... Other than that, I only wear my wedding ring. I'm really allergic to all those beaded bracelets. You have all these men on TV now who have half their arms full. Who came up with this? Hideous!
Home port
We have been living in Amsterdam for six months. Before that, in the Gooi region. That's a nice place if you have young children, but our children have grown up by now. The eldest has already left home.
Rock Realty designed our interior. The basics of it. Very stylish with marble and stuff. Personally, I really like interior icons, beautiful design pieces like Eames.
That Scandinavian 'Hygge' is not specifically something to do with interiors or aesthetics, as people often think. It is mostly about being together. Take those picnic tables people put up in front of a house/property in a neighbourhood. I find that super cosy! The inviting, that's what it's all about.
A dream home is not an end in itself. You tailor that to the stage in your life. Maybe at some point we will move back to the Gooi to live detached again. And a holiday home in Denmark. Preferably in Hornbaek, an idyllic seaside resort similar to Knokke, but more stylish.
Wheels
My mode of transport is an electric bike. Great! We used to have two cars, but in Amsterdam you hardly need a car. We also walk an awful lot.
I only take the car now when I go to the golf course or ESPN (sports channel for which Pérez is a commentator; ed.).
A Porsche 911, the new model, is absolutely the most beautiful car ever made. What they do so cleverly is that you think it can't get any more beautiful and yet they manage to do it every time.
Leisure time
In my spare time, I golf! And a lot of cycling, that is. Looking at buildings in Amsterdam. We get a lot of coffee to go haha! Our favourite is Joe & the Juice (originally a Danish coffee & juice bar; ed.). But we haven't lived here that long, so it's still a voyage of discovery through Amsterdam (takeaway) hospitality industry. And of course not much can be done at the moment, luckily my wife can cook wonderfully!
TRAVEL
It is a misconception that as a footballer, away games in other countries give you something of that country. You arrive, go to the hotel, train, play a match and fly back. When I still played football, a beach holiday to rest was fine, but now that I don't have to, I especially love cities. Strolling through a city, enjoying the architecture, the hustle and bustle. Valencia is a fantastic city. Golf trips are fun too. Then you get to the most beautiful places. To Dubai, for example. And Girona. You can eat delicious tapas there, by the way. What I absolutely do not miss about flying are all those delays and missing connecting flights. Such a hassle always! The first trip we are going to make as soon as we can is to Denmark with my wife. Visiting family!
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