Jakob Glesnes Family: Wife, Children, Parents and Siblings

Last Updated on September 28, 2026 by Wilson

Jakob Glesnes is a Norwegian professional footballer whose career has taken him from the small coastal community of Steinsland on Sotra to Major League Soccer in the United States. Born on March 25, 1994, the central defender developed through Norwegian football before becoming captain of Strømsgodset and later establishing himself as one of the leading defenders in MLS.

Family has accompanied Glesnes through many of the biggest stages of his career. His longtime partner, Linn Kristin Fauskanger, moved with him as his football journey developed, and the couple are now parents to two boys, Emilian and Tristan. Glesnes has also spoken about an older brother who played an important role when he left his childhood home as a teenager to pursue football more seriously.

Who Is Jakob Glesnes’s Wife?

Jakob Glesnes’s wife is Linn Kristin Fauskanger. The couple have been together since well before Glesnes moved to Major League Soccer and have built their family while following his professional career from Norway to the United States.

Linn was already an important part of Glesnes’s life during his years with Strømsgodset. In February 2019, the Norwegian club publicly identified her as his partner when announcing that Glesnes had signed a new contract. At the time, the club also revealed that Jakob and Linn were preparing to become parents for the first time.

The couple later moved to the United States after Glesnes signed for Philadelphia Union in January 2020. Their arrival coincided with an unusually difficult period because the COVID-19 pandemic began shortly afterward, creating complications involving travel and immigration paperwork.

During an interview from Philadelphia in April 2020, Glesnes said having Linn and their young son Emilian with him made the difficult circumstances easier. Later, Linn and Emilian temporarily returned to Norway after their paperwork expired while U.S. embassies were affected by pandemic restrictions.

Over time, Philadelphia became an important home for the family. By 2025, Philadelphia Union was publicly referring to Linn as Glesnes’s wife rather than his girlfriend or partner.

Jakob Glesnes and Linn Kristin Fauskanger’s Relationship

Glesnes and Linn have shared a long-term relationship that stretches back to his career in Norway. Unlike many partners of prominent footballers, Linn has generally maintained a relatively private profile rather than seeking significant media attention.

The couple also have business ties in Norway. Public Norwegian company records identify Jakob Glesnes and Linn Kristin Fauskanger as equal owners of an investment company established in 2021.

However, their most visible public appearances together have generally been connected to football and their children. During Glesnes’s years with Philadelphia Union, Linn and the boys occasionally joined him at Subaru Park for family events and celebrations.

One particularly memorable appearance came during a Union home match in 2025, when Linn, Emilian and Tristan participated in the club’s pregame drum-striking tradition. After Glesnes was named the supporters’ man of the match, the children joined their father again for the post-match celebration.

Does Jakob Glesnes Have Children?

Yes. Jakob Glesnes and Linn Kristin Fauskanger have two children, both sons. Their names are Emilian and Tristan.

Glesnes has frequently described fatherhood as one of the factors that changed his perspective on football. While results remain important to him professionally, returning home to his children has helped him separate his identity as a footballer from his role as a father.

Emilian Glesnes

Emilian is Jakob Glesnes’s eldest son. Strømsgodset announced in February 2019 that Jakob and Linn were expecting their first child in July of that year.

By April 2020, Norwegian reporting identified Emilian as nine months old, confirming that he had been born around July 2019.

Emilian was still an infant when the family moved from Norway to Philadelphia following Glesnes’s transfer to Major League Soccer. As a result, much of his childhood has been spent in the United States.

Glesnes has spoken about Philadelphia becoming home for his children. In 2025, when discussing his future with the Union, he explained that both boys had grown up largely in Philadelphia and had spent most of their lives there.

Emilian has also appeared alongside his father at Union matches. Club coverage has shown him participating in family celebrations at Subaru Park together with his younger brother and mother.

Tristan Glesnes

Tristan is Jakob and Linn’s younger son. Philadelphia Union officially identified him alongside Emilian when covering the Glesnes family’s participation in a club matchday celebration in 2025.

Unlike Emilian, whose approximate birth period can be established through contemporary Norwegian reporting, Tristan’s exact birth date has not been clearly published by authoritative football sources.

Glesnes has nevertheless confirmed that he is now the father of two children. Speaking about how his approach to difficult matches has changed, he explained that having two young sons waiting at home provides perspective because they see him primarily as their father rather than as a professional footballer.

The children also developed a connection with Philadelphia Union during their father’s six seasons with the club. Glesnes said that the boys enjoyed attending matches and had begun asking when they could return to the stadium.

How Fatherhood Changed Jakob Glesnes

Glesnes has openly acknowledged that becoming a father changed the way he deals with the emotional highs and lows of professional football.

Earlier in his career, he could spend considerable time thinking about mistakes or disappointing results after matches. By 2025, however, he explained that those feelings disappeared more quickly because he returned home to two children who were not concerned about whether their father had won or lost.

For Glesnes, that distinction has provided an important sense of perspective. Football remains his profession, but family gives him another identity away from the stadium.

That balance became increasingly important during his long spell in Philadelphia, where he developed from a new international signing into an MLS Defender of the Year, multiple-time All-Star and one of the club’s established leaders.

Who Are Jakob Glesnes’s Parents?

Jakob Glesnes grew up in Steinsland on the island of Sotra in western Norway. His family supported his football development from an early age, and Glesnes has described having relatives attend important matches during his career in Norway.

However, unlike his wife and children, his parents have remained almost entirely outside the public spotlight.

Jakob Glesnes’s Father

The name of Jakob Glesnes’s father has not been clearly established through authoritative football interviews, official club biographies or major Norwegian sports reporting.

There is therefore not enough reliable evidence to publish a name or occupation for his father without risking confusion with other members of the extended Glesnes family.

What is known is that Jakob grew up in a close family environment on Sotra and retained strong connections to the region even after moving elsewhere for football.

When Strømsgodset traveled to Bergen to face Brann in 2017, the club reported that Glesnes was expecting his entire family to be in the stands. The match was particularly meaningful because he had grown up supporting Brann before eventually becoming captain of an opposing Eliteserien club.

Jakob Glesnes’s Mother

Jakob Glesnes’s mother has similarly remained private. Her name and professional background are not clearly documented by reliable public football sources.

Rather than filling this gap with information taken from private records or unverified social-media profiles, it is more accurate to state that Glesnes has protected his parents’ identities from the wider public attention surrounding his career.

His interviews nevertheless make clear that family remained important even after he left home as a teenager to pursue football at a higher level.

Who Are Jakob Glesnes’s Siblings?

Jakob Glesnes has publicly confirmed having at least one older brother.

The existence of his older brother is particularly important to Glesnes’s football story because Jakob lived with him after leaving his childhood home at just 16 years old.

Jakob Glesnes’s Older Brother

Glesnes explained in an MLS interview that when he was 16, he moved away from home and lived with his older brother in the city, approximately an hour from the family home.

The decision represented a major transition for the teenager. Glesnes described leaving a safe and familiar environment because he wanted to give himself the best possible opportunity to improve as a footballer.

Living with his brother provided him with family support while allowing him to train and compete in a stronger football environment.

The name of this older brother has not been reliably confirmed in the major interviews covering Glesnes’s development. For that reason, it would be inappropriate to identify a particular person solely because they share the Glesnes surname or have business connections with Jakob.

Does Jakob Glesnes Have Other Siblings?

There is insufficient reliable public information to determine whether Glesnes has additional brothers or sisters.

Available interviews specifically establish the existence of an older brother but do not provide a complete list of siblings.

Consequently, it would also be inaccurate to describe Jakob as one of only two children. The safest conclusion is that he has at least one older brother, while information about any other siblings remains private.

Growing Up in Steinsland on Sotra

Glesnes comes from Steinsland, a small community on Sotra near Bergen in western Norway. His childhood environment was very different from the major stadiums and cities that later defined his professional career.

He started playing with local club Skogsvåg IL and developed alongside other talented footballers from the area. Norwegian reporting has described a close-knit community where children regularly played together outdoors and where football became an important part of local life.

At 16, Glesnes made the difficult decision to leave home and move closer to Bergen while living with his older brother. That step accelerated his development and eventually helped him progress through Løv-Ham and FK Fyllingsdalen.

His path was not straightforward. Glesnes later played for Åsane and Sarpsborg 08 before joining Strømsgodset, where his leadership qualities became increasingly evident.

Jakob Glesnes Built His Own Family During His Career in Norway

While Glesnes was developing professionally, his relationship with Linn also became an increasingly important part of his life.

By his Strømsgodset years, the couple were living together, and in early 2019 they learned they were about to become parents.

The arrival of Emilian coincided with the final months of Glesnes’s career in Norway. Less than a year later, another major family decision followed when he accepted Philadelphia Union’s offer and moved across the Atlantic.

That transfer meant that Linn and their infant son also had to adapt to life in another country. The family initially arrived in Philadelphia shortly before the pandemic transformed everyday life in the United States.

Life With His Family in Philadelphia

Despite the difficult beginning, Philadelphia eventually became home for the Glesnes family.

Jakob joined the Union in January 2020 and remained with the club through the 2025 season. During those six years, Emilian grew up in the Philadelphia area and Tristan joined the family.

The defender’s football career also reached new heights. He became the 2022 MLS Defender of the Year, earned multiple MLS All-Star selections and developed into one of the Union’s most recognizable players.

His family became increasingly integrated into his experience with the club. Linn and the children attended games, joined him during special events and celebrated with him on the Subaru Park field.

When Glesnes signed another contract with Philadelphia in August 2025, he specifically mentioned his children when explaining how comfortable the family felt in the area.

Jakob Glesnes’s Family and His Move to LA Galaxy

Another major change arrived after the 2025 season when the LA Galaxy acquired Glesnes from Philadelphia Union.

The move ended a six-season period in Philadelphia, which had become particularly important to his two children because they had spent much of their early lives there.

Glesnes quickly established himself with the Galaxy. In March 2026, the club extended his contract through the 2028-29 season after praising the Norwegian defender’s immediate influence on the team.

By September 2026, he had also worn the captain’s armband for the Galaxy, continuing the leadership role that had followed him throughout much of his career in Norway and MLS.

The transfer therefore marked a new stage not only for Glesnes professionally but also for Linn, Emilian and Tristan as the family exchanged Philadelphia for Southern California.

Frequently Asked Questions About Jakob Glesnes’s Family

Who is Jakob Glesnes’s wife?

Jakob Glesnes’s wife is Linn Kristin Fauskanger. She has been his longtime partner since his career in Norway and moved with him to the United States after he joined Philadelphia Union.

Is Jakob Glesnes married?

Yes. Philadelphia Union publicly identified Linn as Jakob Glesnes’s wife in 2025. Earlier Norwegian reports had described her as his partner.

How many children does Jakob Glesnes have?

Jakob Glesnes has two children, both sons.

What are Jakob Glesnes’s children called?

His sons are named Emilian and Tristan.

When was Jakob Glesnes’s son Emilian born?

Emilian was born around July 2019. Strømsgodset announced earlier that year that Jakob and Linn were expecting their first child in July, and a report from April 2020 described Emilian as nine months old.

Who is Jakob Glesnes’s younger son?

His younger son is named Tristan. His precise birth date has not been widely documented by reliable public sources.

Who are Jakob Glesnes’s parents?

Glesnes’s parents have remained private. Their names have not been clearly established through authoritative public football sources.

Does Jakob Glesnes have a brother?

Yes. Glesnes has publicly spoken about an older brother with whom he lived after leaving home at 16 years old to pursue his football development.

What is Jakob Glesnes’s brother’s name?

His older brother’s name has not been reliably confirmed in major public football sources.

Where did Jakob Glesnes grow up?

Glesnes grew up in Steinsland on Sotra in western Norway, close to Bergen.