Daniel Johan Skaarud (born 10 September 2007) is a Norwegian footballer who plays as a winger for Eliteserien side Sandefjord. He is considered a promising young talent known for his dribbling ability.
Early life Skaarud was born on 10 September 2007 in Lørenskog, Norway. He is of Thai descent through his mother and Norwegian through his father.
Club career Lillestrøm Skaarud joined the youth academy of Norwegian side Lillestrøm. He gained attention when he was included in the first-team matchday squad in October 2022 at the age of fifteen. He made his senior debut for the club in the Norwegian Football Cup later that season. His Eliteserien debut followed during the 2023 season. In total, he made five competitive first-team appearances for Lillestrøm before transferring.
Ajax On 11 July 2024, Skaarud signed a three-year contract with Dutch club Ajax, running until 30 June 2027. He initially joined the club's under-19 squad for the 2024–25 season. He featured for Ajax U19 in the UEFA Youth League, gaining European experience at youth level.
International career Skaarud has represented Norway at multiple youth international levels. He played for the Norway U15 team in 2022, scoring once in six appearances. In 2023, he progressed to the U16 team, scoring once in five games. He subsequently represented the U17 team in 2024, again scoring once in five appearances. In March 2025, Skaarud made his debut for the Norway U18 team.
Style of play Skaarud mainly operates as a winger, typically deployed on the left flank despite being right-footed. He is known for his technical ability, speed, and dribbling skills.
Career statistics
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational cupEuropeOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsLillestrøm2022Eliteserien0010——1020234000——40Total4010——50Career total4010000050
References