HB Køge Women extend defender Maria Uhre in historic deal through 2031

HB Køge Women have agreed a historic five-year contract extension with 26-year-old defender Maria Uhre. The deal runs through the summer of 2031 and is among the longest contracts in Danish women’s football.

For HB Køge Women, however, the extension is about more than football. Sporting Director Jonas Nielsen emphasizes that Maria Uhre’s importance to the club reaches far beyond what happens on the pitch.

“We are of course extending Maria because she is a very good football player, but with ‘Uhre’ it’s about much more than just the sporting side. She is a true culture carrier in our club, a local player who has been here longer than anyone else and who helps define what HB Køge Women stands for. She is the type of person you want around your team and your club every single day. A strong personality who contributes to the environment in the locker room and to the culture we want to continue building at this club,” says Jonas Nielsen, adding:

“As far as we know, this is the first time a five-year deal has been made in the Danish league, and it feels completely natural that ‘Uhre’ is the first. We of course hope she will play here for many more years, and when the day comes where she no longer wants to play, we also hope she will continue to be part of the club in another role.”

A journey with the club
Maria Uhre grew up in the Køge area and has been part of the club since she was 18 years old. Over the years she has been part of the entire journey as HB Køge Women has developed into one of the most prominent clubs in Danish women’s football.

“Standing here and signing another contract almost feels unreal when I look back at where I started. I had actually started to say goodbye to the dream of becoming a professional after some unsuccessful stays elsewhere. But Køge and especially the club gave me belief in myself again. That’s why the club is something very special to me, and personally this extension means so much because I truly love playing in Køge,” says Maria Uhre, continuing:

“I’ve met so many fantastic people during my time at the club, and every day I’m surrounded by great coaches and dedicated teammates. I’m excited to see what the coming years will bring, and not least to continue feeling the support from our fans, who have always meant so much to both me and the rest of the team.”

Community and local dedication
For HB Køge Women, having a local player who has been part of the club for many years and represents the values the club is built on has been of great importance.

Maria Uhre herself underlines how much it means to continue her journey in the club and in the area where she grew up.

“It means a lot to me to be able to stay in the area where I was born and raised and have my family close by. At the same time, it means so much to be part of the community we have in the club. We are a group of people who care about each other and who work every day to build something special together.”

Uhre also highlights the club’s ambitions as an important part of her decision.

“When the club reached out to me and I heard about the project, I had no doubt that I wanted to be part of it. What makes the project attractive to me is that we always want to improve. The club has big ambitions, and we want to return to the Champions League, where some very special experiences await beyond Denmark’s borders,” concludes Maria Uhre.