Afghan-Rooted Teen Defender Nears Denmark U21 Call-Up
Dariush Popolzi, a 17-year-old defender of Afghan origin who has developed within Denmark’s football system, has now reached what is described as the final step before Denmark’s senior national team after a string of appearances for the country’s youth sides.
The player, who according to Irav years ago settled in Aalborg with his family, began his football journey with the local teams Aalborg Freja and Aalborg 1885 before joining AaB’s academy at under-13 level, an academy known for its discipline and strict standards in selecting and developing players.
Popolzi gradually became one of the regulars in AaB’s youth defence and also wore the captain’s armband for the club’s under-17 side, a role coaches at the club say is linked to qualities such as hard work, technique and leadership.
At international level, Popolzi made his debut for Denmark’s under-16 team in November 2024, in a match that ended in a 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia. A few months later, during a UEFA development tournament, he scored his first international goal against Colombia and his name appeared more often in Danish sports media reports.
According to the report, Popolzi was called up to Denmark’s under-17 and under-18 teams in 2025 and 2026 and was in the starting line-up in matches including games against Italy and Croatia. He has now played nine youth internationals and has also progressed at club level to AaB’s under-19 team.
Danish media have written that if this trend continues, Popolzi could become one of the players considered for Denmark’s senior national team in the coming years for tournaments such as the Euros and the World Cup.
The report also says that, under FIFA rules, Popolzi still remains legally eligible to choose Afghanistan’s national team; however, given his established path within Denmark’s football structure, such a possibility is currently considered unlikely.
Aalborg is a city in northern Denmark, and AaB is one of the country’s well-known football clubs, whose academy has in recent years introduced a number of young players to professional football.
