Øyvind Leonhardsen
Encyclopedia
Øyvind Leonhardsen is a Norwegian
former footballer. He retired after the 2007 season, and at that moment he was captain of Strømsgodset IF in the Norwegian Premier Division, ending a career with nine years in English football with clubs like Wimbledon
, Liverpool
, Tottenham Hotspur
and Aston Villa
. In Norway he played for Molde, Rosenborg, Lyn and Strømsgodset.
Leonhardsen won the honorable Kniksen award
as the best midfielder
in 1991 and 1993. He was voted the Player's Player of the Year in Norway in 1994.
Leonhardsen started his career in Clausenengen before he, as a 19 year old, moved to Premier Division side Molde in 1989. Two years later he was brought to Norwegian champions Rosenborg. Playing for them, he was voted best player in Norway in 1994. Leonhardsen moved to Wimbledon
in the Premier League the following season, where he made an instant impact. In 1998 he was bought by his childhood favourites, Liverpool
. He then moved to Tottenham Hotspur
, before joining Aston Villa
on a free transfer in August 2002. He moved back to Norway in 2004 to join FC Lyn Oslo, where he became the captain. He signed a two year contract with second level club Strømsgodset IF from Drammen
in December 2005.
Leonhardsen retired aged 37 after helping securing Strømsgodset IF promotion to Tippeligaen
in 2006, and later securing a new contract in the top flight in 2007.
Now Leonhardsen is working as a youth coach in his former club Lyn Fotball
.
Leonhardsen made 86 appearances for the Norwegian national team
, scoring 19 goals. He was part of the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup
squads.
In Norway
, the expression "a Leo run" is derived from Leonhardsen's running capacity and his smart movements. He is reckoned as somewhat of a cult hero and a symbol of the Norway national team
success in the 1990s. He earned great respect during his career due to his highly professional approach to the game.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
former footballer. He retired after the 2007 season, and at that moment he was captain of Strømsgodset IF in the Norwegian Premier Division, ending a career with nine years in English football with clubs like Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
, Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
and Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
. In Norway he played for Molde, Rosenborg, Lyn and Strømsgodset.
Leonhardsen won the honorable Kniksen award
Kniksen award
The Kniksen award , established in 1990, acclaims the best players in the Norwegian football premiership. The award is named after the legendary Norwegian football player Roald Jensen, nicknamed "Kniksen".-Category A:...
as the best midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
in 1991 and 1993. He was voted the Player's Player of the Year in Norway in 1994.
Leonhardsen started his career in Clausenengen before he, as a 19 year old, moved to Premier Division side Molde in 1989. Two years later he was brought to Norwegian champions Rosenborg. Playing for them, he was voted best player in Norway in 1994. Leonhardsen moved to Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
in the Premier League the following season, where he made an instant impact. In 1998 he was bought by his childhood favourites, Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
. He then moved to Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
, before joining Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
on a free transfer in August 2002. He moved back to Norway in 2004 to join FC Lyn Oslo, where he became the captain. He signed a two year contract with second level club Strømsgodset IF from Drammen
Drammen
Drammen is a city in Buskerud County, Norway. The port and river city of Drammen is centrally located in the eastern and most populated part of Norway.-Location:...
in December 2005.
Leonhardsen retired aged 37 after helping securing Strømsgodset IF promotion to Tippeligaen
Tippeligaen
Tippeligaen is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. The league is also unofficially known under its neutral name Eliteserien , although the name has never been official...
in 2006, and later securing a new contract in the top flight in 2007.
Now Leonhardsen is working as a youth coach in his former club Lyn Fotball
SFK Lyn
Ski- og Fotballklubben Lyn is a Norwegian alliance sports club from Nordre Aker, Oslo. It has two sections; for association football and Nordic skiing. Until 2010 they had a third section, for top-level association football, named FK Lyn...
.
Leonhardsen made 86 appearances for the Norwegian national team
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
, scoring 19 goals. He was part of the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
squads.
In Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, the expression "a Leo run" is derived from Leonhardsen's running capacity and his smart movements. He is reckoned as somewhat of a cult hero and a symbol of the Norway national team
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
success in the 1990s. He earned great respect during his career due to his highly professional approach to the game.