Mathias Svensson
Encyclopedia
Mathias Svensson is a retired Swedish footballer
. He played as striker and his last team was IF Elfsborg
, having spent much of his career in England
. He won three full international caps for Sweden
during his career. He is currently assistant manager at Elfsborg.
Svensson began his career with Elfsborg, and was their top scorer when they won promotion to Allsvenskan
in 1996. Following his success, he moved to England in the same year to play for Portsmouth
. He then moved to Crystal Palace
and Charlton
, and had a spell on loan with Derby County
before joining Norwich
in December 2003, making his debut for the Canaries in the East Anglian Derby against Ipswich Town
at Portman Road
.
Norwich paid an initial fee of £50,000 for Svensson, which rose to £300,000 when the Canaries won promotion at the end of that season. It took Svensson some time to find his form at Norwich and he came in for criticism from some City supporters. However, he began scoring goals towards the end of the season - including two in a 5-3 win at Burnley
and a long range effort in a televised match against Wigan
- and ended the season with a first division championship medal as The Canaries won promotion to the Premiership.
Svensson scored 4 times in Norwich's premiership season of 2004-05, including two in a 3-2 win against Bolton Wanderers
. Norwich were relegated at the end of the season and a clause in Svensson's contract allowed him to move to a top flight club in another country in the event that such a club showed interest to him. IF Elfsborg
offered Norwich £100,000 for Svensson, and he returned to the club where he began his career.
After his return to Elfsborg Svensson played his first Allsvenskan
game on 4 July 2005 against Kalmar FF
, and he scored the only goal of the game. The 2006
season was very successful for Svensson. He started all games and scored 6 goals, and at the end of the season he won the first title of his career, as Elfsborg were crowned Swedish champions. In 2008 he was forced to retire due to a knee injury. He has remained at Elfsborg, with various duties.
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...
. He played as striker and his last team was IF Elfsborg
IF Elfsborg
IF Elfsborg is a Swedish football club located in Borås. The club has won five national championship titles, the latest in 2006, and two national cup titles. Currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan. Elfsborg is based at Borås Arena...
, having spent much of his career in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He won three full international caps for Sweden
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...
during his career. He is currently assistant manager at Elfsborg.
Svensson began his career with Elfsborg, and was their top scorer when they won promotion to Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
in 1996. Following his success, he moved to England in the same year to play for Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
. He then moved to Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
and Charlton
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
, and had a spell on loan with Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
before joining Norwich
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
in December 2003, making his debut for the Canaries in the East Anglian Derby against Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
at Portman Road
Portman Road
Portman Road is an association football stadium in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. It has been the home ground of Ipswich Town F.C. since 1884. The stadium has also hosted a number of England youth international matches, and one senior England friendly international match, against Croatia in 2003...
.
Norwich paid an initial fee of £50,000 for Svensson, which rose to £300,000 when the Canaries won promotion at the end of that season. It took Svensson some time to find his form at Norwich and he came in for criticism from some City supporters. However, he began scoring goals towards the end of the season - including two in a 5-3 win at Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
and a long range effort in a televised match against Wigan
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
- and ended the season with a first division championship medal as The Canaries won promotion to the Premiership.
Svensson scored 4 times in Norwich's premiership season of 2004-05, including two in a 3-2 win against Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
. Norwich were relegated at the end of the season and a clause in Svensson's contract allowed him to move to a top flight club in another country in the event that such a club showed interest to him. IF Elfsborg
IF Elfsborg
IF Elfsborg is a Swedish football club located in Borås. The club has won five national championship titles, the latest in 2006, and two national cup titles. Currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan. Elfsborg is based at Borås Arena...
offered Norwich £100,000 for Svensson, and he returned to the club where he began his career.
After his return to Elfsborg Svensson played his first Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
game on 4 July 2005 against Kalmar FF
Kalmar FF
Kalmar FF is a Swedish football club located in Kalmar. Formed 10 January 1910, the club has won three national cup titles and 1 league title. Kalmar FF currently play in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan....
, and he scored the only goal of the game. The 2006
2006 in Swedish football
The 2006 season in Swedish football, starting January 2006 and ending December 2006:- Events :* 18 January 2006: The Swedish national team plays a friendly in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia against the hosts, causing upset home in Sweden when it is revealed that no women are allowed at the stadium.* 2...
season was very successful for Svensson. He started all games and scored 6 goals, and at the end of the season he won the first title of his career, as Elfsborg were crowned Swedish champions. In 2008 he was forced to retire due to a knee injury. He has remained at Elfsborg, with various duties.
Honours
- Football League First DivisionFootball League ChampionshipThe Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
(2003–2004)
- AllsvenskanAllsvenskanAllsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
(2006)