Kristoffer Ajer has explained the physical changes that have helped him adapt at Brentford and with Norway.
Kristoffer Ajer has explained how adapting his body and training has helped him deal with the demands of Premier League and international football.
The Brentford defender’s influence with Norway has grown at this World Cup, with the 28-year-old now one of the first names on Stale Solbakken’s team sheet.
Ajer’s journey has been far from straightforward. Once a standout talent at Start as a teenager, he moved on to Celtic before facing the challenge of adapting to the pace and intensity of English football with Brentford.
Speaking to VG, Ajer said he has spent the past few years focusing on the parts of his game he felt needed to improve.
“Over the last few years I have worked incredibly hard on my weaknesses,” Ajer said.
“I have had many training sessions after the organised sessions and gone really into what I wanted to develop.”
Asked what those areas were, Ajer added: “A lot on positioning in the box, but also clearance play and drilling that.”
The results of that work have been clear to see, both for Brentford and for Norway.
Ajer has always possessed the physical attributes of a modern centre-back, but the Premier League presents a different set of challenges. Defenders must deal with rapid transitions, constant movement in behind, relentless pressure in the box and strikers who capitalise on any moment of hesitation.
Ajer told VG he has made physical adjustments to help him cope with those demands.
“I have changed my body shape,” he said.
“Become a little lighter in the body. When you play in the Premier League and international football, you have to move your feet even faster. Then I made some changes there that I feel are working.”
He added: “I have always had a very good top speed, but in the Premier League it goes frighteningly fast.”
Ajer has enjoyed strong spells at Brentford, though injuries and competition for places have played their part in shaping his time in West London. Still, the broader story is one of a defender who has grown more complete since arriving in the Premier League.
Ajer has also looked back on the tougher periods that have shaped his career.
“Everything I have experienced with football has been incredibly big,” he said.
“I have taken both ups and downs with me. It shapes you as a footballer and not least as a person.”
He continued: “I feel I have stood in many storms and bad performances, which means you get to know yourself. You learn a lot from getting through those periods.”
That resilience may be tested again as Norway prepare to face Ivory Coast in their next World Cup fixture.
Ajer’s role for Norway has only grown, and his words are a reminder of the effort behind that progress. The Brentford defender has not simply relied on his natural ability. He has adapted, refined his game and made physical changes to meet the demands of the level he now faces every week.
