Kjeld Thorst

Kjeld Thorst (born 13 May 1940) is a Danish former footballer and coach who played as a forward. After beginning his senior career with Ranum IF, he spent most of his playing career with AaB, where he became one of the club's leading forwards, scoring a club-record 78 league goals and helping the side win the 1965–66 Danish Cup. He was capped 26 times by the Denmark national football team between 1963 and 1969, scoring six goals, and represented Denmark at the 1964 European Nations' Cup. After retiring as a player, he later coached AaB from 1976 to 1977.

Club career Thorst began playing football with Skovsgaard Boldklub, where he spent his youth career, before starting his senior career with Ranum IF in Series 1 at the age of 16. In 1961, he joined AaB after being recommended by fellow student and future club-mate Heini Hald at Ranum Seminarium.

He made his AaB debut on 30 April 1961 in the Danish 2nd Division, scoring a hat-trick in a 4–3 win over Odense KFUM.

International career Thorst made his debut for the Denmark national football team on 15 September 1963 in an away match against Norway at Ullevaal, scoring on his debut. He was the first AaB player to represent Denmark since Egon Johansen. One of his most notable performances came in a 3–2 win over Romania on 3 November 1963, when he scored after only 20 seconds and added a second goal later in the match. He also scored for Denmark against Sweden and Israel.

Thorst was part of the Denmark side that reached the final tournament of the 1964 European Nations' Cup.

Coaching career After his playing career, Thorst coached Sulsted IF before returning to AaB as first-team coach in 1976. He remained in the role until 1977 and subsequently served in a leadership role at the club. After his football career, he worked as a teacher at Sulsted Skole. For his contribution to AaB, he was later chosen by the club's official supporters' club as Århundredets AaB'er ("AaB'er of the Century").

Honours AaB Danish Cup: 1965–66