Gunnar Andersson
Encyclopedia
Gunnar Andersson, was a football
player from Sweden
. He is widely considered as one of Olympique de Marseille
best strikers, along with Josip Skoblar
and Jean-Pierre Papin
by who?.
He started his career in Sweden
were he was nicknamed Säffle, before playing for Danish
side Kjøbenhavns Boldklub
before being transferred to Olympique de Marseille
, where he became a key player, scoring 169 goals in 220 matches in Division 1
. With l'OM he was also Division 1 top goalscorer
in 1951-1952 and 1952-1953 and runner-up
in the Coupe de France 1953-1954.He also played for other French teams such as FC Girondins de Bordeaux
or AS Aix.
Despite his success in France
, he never played for the Sweden national football team
because of a policy not to select players based outside Sweden, such as Andersson and Gunnar Nordahl
. However, as obtained French citizenship in 1954, he was capped once for the France B team
, but was disappointing and was never called again.
He died in 1969, as he was heading to Stade Vélodrome
, to see a match against Dukla Prague in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1969-70
. He remains today one of the best players to wear l'OM uniform and one of the most appreciated by supporters.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player from Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. He is widely considered as one of Olympique de Marseille
Olympique de Marseille
Olympique de Marseille is a French association football club based in Marseille. Founded in 1899, the club plays in Ligue 1 and have spent most of its history in the top tier of French football. Marseille have been French champions nine times and have won the Coupe de France a record ten times. In...
best strikers, along with Josip Skoblar
Josip Skoblar
Josip "Joško" Skoblar is a Croatian former football player and manager. He was primarily a forward, and also capable of playing on both wings.-Club:...
and Jean-Pierre Papin
Jean-Pierre Papin
Jean-Pierre Papin is a former French professional football player who was European Footballer of the Year in 1991.Papin achieved his greatest success while playing for Olympique Marseille between 1986 and 1992...
by who?.
He started his career in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
were he was nicknamed Säffle, before playing for Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
side Kjøbenhavns Boldklub
Kjøbenhavns Boldklub
Kjøbenhavns Boldklub or KB is a Danish sports club based in Copenhagen. The club was founded April 26, 1876 on the grassy fields in outer Copenhagen which later became Fælledparken. Football and cricket has been played in KB since 1879, making KB the oldest football club on Continental Europe and...
before being transferred to Olympique de Marseille
Olympique de Marseille
Olympique de Marseille is a French association football club based in Marseille. Founded in 1899, the club plays in Ligue 1 and have spent most of its history in the top tier of French football. Marseille have been French champions nine times and have won the Coupe de France a record ten times. In...
, where he became a key player, scoring 169 goals in 220 matches in Division 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
. With l'OM he was also Division 1 top goalscorer
Top goalscorers in Ligue 1
The following is a list of the highest goalscorers in Ligue 1's history*1932/1933 : Walter Kaiser and Robert Mercier 15 goals*1933/1934 : Istvan Lukacs 28 goals...
in 1951-1952 and 1952-1953 and runner-up
Coupe de France Final 1954
The Coupe de France Final 1954 was a football match held at Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes on May 23, 1954, that saw OGC Nice defeat Olympique de Marseille 2-1 thanks to goals by Victor Nuremberg and Luis Carniglia.-Match details:...
in the Coupe de France 1953-1954.He also played for other French teams such as FC Girondins de Bordeaux
FC Girondins de Bordeaux
Football Club des Girondins de Bordeaux is a French association football club based in the city of Bordeaux. The club currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football, and won its last Ligue 1 title in the 2008–09 season....
or AS Aix.
Despite his success in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, he never played for the Sweden national football team
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
because of a policy not to select players based outside Sweden, such as Andersson and Gunnar Nordahl
Gunnar Nordahl
Gunnar Nordahl was a Swedish football player, best known for his play in AC Milan 1949-1956.-Sweden:...
. However, as obtained French citizenship in 1954, he was capped once for the France B team
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
, but was disappointing and was never called again.
He died in 1969, as he was heading to Stade Vélodrome
Stade Vélodrome
The Stade Vélodrome is a football stadium in Marseille, France. It is home to the Olympique de Marseille football club of Ligue 1, and was a venue in the 1998 FIFA World Cup and the 2007 Rugby World Cup. It is the largest club-football ground in France, with a capacity of 60,031 spectators,...
, to see a match against Dukla Prague in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1969-70
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1969-70
The season 1969-70 of the European Cup Winners' Cup football club tournament was won by Manchester City in a final victory against Górnik Zabrze.- Preliminary round :-First round:-First leg:-Second leg:Roma won 3–1 on aggregate....
. He remains today one of the best players to wear l'OM uniform and one of the most appreciated by supporters.
Titles
- Coupe de FranceCoupe de FranceThe Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France , is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation...
runner-up in 1954Coupe de France Final 1954The Coupe de France Final 1954 was a football match held at Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes on May 23, 1954, that saw OGC Nice defeat Olympique de Marseille 2-1 thanks to goals by Victor Nuremberg and Luis Carniglia.-Match details:...
with Olympique de MarseilleOlympique de MarseilleOlympique de Marseille is a French association football club based in Marseille. Founded in 1899, the club plays in Ligue 1 and have spent most of its history in the top tier of French football. Marseille have been French champions nine times and have won the Coupe de France a record ten times. In... - Division 1 top goalscorerTop goalscorers in Ligue 1The following is a list of the highest goalscorers in Ligue 1's history*1932/1933 : Walter Kaiser and Robert Mercier 15 goals*1933/1934 : Istvan Lukacs 28 goals...
in 1951-1952 and 1952-1953 with Olympique de MarseilleOlympique de MarseilleOlympique de Marseille is a French association football club based in Marseille. Founded in 1899, the club plays in Ligue 1 and have spent most of its history in the top tier of French football. Marseille have been French champions nine times and have won the Coupe de France a record ten times. In...
External links
- Article and photos on a Olympique de Marseille fan site
- Article on Gunnar Andersson http://mondediplo.com/2003/02/15soccer