Oskar Bloch has traveled a long way to land with Revolution II as one of the team’s most recent signings in early March. The 19-year-old spent the first portion of preseason on trial with New England’s second team, and impressed the technical staff enough to earn his place on the inaugural roster. Bloch is well-traveled, having played in high-level youth competitions around Europe as well as making his professional debut in Denmark’s third division this past fall. Let’s learn more about the Danish defender.

1. Rising Through the Ranks

Bloch began his playing career close to his hometown with academy programs at Fløng-Hedehusene for seven years and at FC Roskilde for two years. While playing at various levels of the Danish youth soccer system, he also took classes at Herningsholm Business School in Roskilde. Eventually, Bloch made the leap to the FC Midtjylland Academy in 2015, one of Denmark’s best youth programs. Once there, he began to see more playing time as his play advanced, eventually making 10 appearances for the Midtjylland Under-19 team en route to a 2018-19 Danish Youth League title.

2. UEFA Pedigree

Midtjylland wasn’t just reputable within Denmark, but across the European continent as well. During his final youth season, Bloch played in the 2018-19 UEFA Youth League, helping his Midtjylland U-19s reach the quarterfinals. In that round, Bloch started and played the first half in a 3-0 loss to eventual champions FC Porto, an achievement the defender lists as one of the favorite memories in his career.

3. First-Year Pro

Recruited as part of the freshman class at the University of Cincinnati for the fall of 2019, Bloch opted to stay home and turn pro rather than enter the NCAA ranks after a particularly successful tournament in the Netherlands sealed his decision. He earned his first contract with local club Slagelse B&I, where he made 15 appearances across all competitions, including two in the 2019-20 Danish Cup competition. He transferred to Akademisk Boldklub in January but did not appear in a match, quickly departing for a new journey stateside and what would be his successful trial with Revs II.

4. A Passion for Fashion

One of Bloch’s biggest passions, besides soccer, is fashion. The affinity even runs in the family, as Bloch’s grandmother worked for over 30 years in the industry. In addition, his mother had her own clothing brand, and his sister currently designs jewelry. While he has no intentions of starting his own business any time soon, he is always looking to upgrade his wardrobe with new additions.

Here are some other fun facts about Oskar:

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Licorice or white chocolate
Favorite Music Artist: Stormzy
Favorite Movie: Ækte vare (Flow)
Favorite Superhero: Thor
Animal you identify with the most: Baboon
If a movie was made about you, which actor would you choose to play yourself: Tom Felton … apparently I look like Draco Malfoy.
If you could be anything besides a pro soccer player, what would it be: Work in a clothing store or be an art museum guide