Jannik Vestergaard is one of SVW’s social media stars. He has over 9,000 Twitter followers and in the region of 21,000 people keep tabs on his Instagram account. Every day they discover something new about the defender, with a wide range of topics including, Werder, the national team and his private life, covered. “There’s no need to keep your distance anymore when it’s so easy to share stuff with the fans over the web,” he explained.
Vestergaard enjoys keeping in touch with his follows. He often posts pictures from home, the training ground and his international escapades. It brings him closer to the fans, however, this does has drawbacks. “Everyone has an opinion on the internet, even if they’re based over 2,000km away from you. You have to be aware that people will hold certain opinions surrounding, even though they’ve met you personally,” added the defender. “That’s always been the case to a point though because I’m a footballer, however, social media exacerbates the issue.”
The defender is often confronted with people stating that footballers earn too much money. “That’s a common gripe – people often comment about my wage or my quality of life. When someone writes something negative or personal about you it does detract from the positives. People seem to forget that footballers are humans too,” remarked the Denmark international.
He added that whilst some of his colleagues are big fans of social media, others totally avoid the likes of Facebook and Twitter. “Some footballers find it funny and enjoy interacting with the supporters, whereas others dislike the idea of it. It’s down to individual preference.”
The number seven doesn’t want to complain though. He’s fully aware of the fact that he can influence people’s moods in seemingly simple ways. “It’s amazing to see how happy the supporters are after we’ve won a game. It’s an incredible feeling, one which not many people get to experience,” said Vestergaard.
The central defender is currently on international duty. Denmark are taking place in a tournament in Japan and it’s only a matter of time before we’re treated to another insight into the life of Jannik Vestergaard…
