Christian Wilhelmsson

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Christian Wilhelmsson
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Wilhelmsson playing for Sweden at Euro 2012
Personal information
Full name Christian Ulf Wilhelmsson
Date of birth (1979-12-08) 8 December 1979 (age 44)
Place of birth Malmö, Sweden
Height Script error: No such module "person height".
Position(s) Winger
Youth career
1988–1997 Mjällby
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–1999 Mjällby 52 (11)
2000–2003 Stabæk 84 (25)
2003–2006 Anderlecht 90 (13)
2006–2008 Nantes 13 (0)
2007 → Roma (loan) 19 (1)
2007–2008 → Bolton Wanderers (loan) 8 (0)
2008 → Deportivo La Coruña (loan) 15 (1)
2008–2012 Al-Hilal 69 (24)
2011–2012 → Al Ahli (loan) 11 (0)
2012 LA Galaxy 5 (1)
2013–2014 Baniyas 8 (3)
2014 Mjällby 12 (5)
2015 Mjällby 2 (1)
Total 389 (85)
International career
2000–2001 Sweden U21 16 (2)
2001–2012 Sweden 79 (9)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Christian Ulf Wilhelmsson (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈkrɪstɪjan ˈvɪl(h)ɛ(l)m.ˈsɔn]; born 8 December 1979), nicknamed Chippen, is a Swedish former footballer who played as a left winger.

After playing several seasons with Mjällby (three years), Stabæk (four) and Anderlecht (three), he played in quick succession for teams in France, Italy, England and Spain, before spending the better part of four years in the late 2000s in Saudi Arabia with Al-Hilal.

Wilhelmsson played 79 times with Sweden, representing the nation at the 2006 World Cup and in three European Championships.

Club career

Early years / Anderlecht

Born in Malmö, Wilhelmsson started his career with Mjällby AIF in 1997, playing in three second division seasons with the club. He then spent as many years in neighbouring Norway with Stabæk Fotball.

In the 2003 summer Wilhelmsson joined R.S.C. Anderlecht in Belgium, being an undisputed starter during his spell and scoring nine top division goals combined in the capital side's 2004 and 2006 league conquests.

Nantes and loans

In 2006, Wilhelmsson moved to French team FC Nantes. However, on 10 January of the following year, he joined A.S. Roma on loan until the end of the season, when the Italians had the option to buy for €3 millions. He made his Serie A debut on 14 January against FC Messina,[1] but underwent criticism from teammates such as Christian Panucci for his lack of communication on the pitch, a derivative of his poor Italian language skills.

Roma opted against making Wilhelmsson's transfer permanent, preferring to sign Mauro Esposito and Ludovic Giuly instead, and he returned to Nantes, immediately starting seeking a new club following the Canaries' relegation from Ligue 1.[2] Following speculation about a move to the Premier League or the Scottish Premier League,[3][4] he signed for Bolton Wanderers on a 12-month loan, with an option to make the deal permanent after 20 games.[5]

Despite a disappointing spell with the Trotters – 13 appearances all competitions comprised, mostly as a substitute, his debut coming in a 1–3 away defeat against Portsmouth –[6] Wilhelmsson was instrumental in closing the club's signing of countryman Johan Elmander for a record transfer fee, for 2008–09.

After failing to impress Bolton manager Gary Megson he was again loaned by Nantes, this time moving to Spain and Deportivo de La Coruña on 30 January 2008. He played his first La Liga match against Getafe CF, coming on as a substitute in a 1–1 home draw, and made his first start two rounds later, in a home fixture match against RCD Espanyol (2–0 home win).[7]

Wilhelmsson scored his first goal for Depor on 1 March 2008, in a 2–1 home win against Sevilla FC,[8] and finished the campaign firmly established in the side's starting XI – he would start in 13 of his league appearances – as the Galicians eventually finished ninth and qualified to the UEFA Intertoto Cup.

Saudi Arabia

In 2008, Wilhelmsson signed a three-year contract with Saudi club Al-Hilal FC for about €9 million. He helped the club win the league title in his second year, scoring nine goals and making ten assists in 20 appearances; for his contributions he received the Player of the Season award, going on to win four additional major titles during his tenure, including two consecutive Saudi Crown Prince Cup where he scored in both finals.

Wilhelmsson spent the first half of 2011–12 on loan with Qatar's Al Ahli SC, as cover for departing Opoku Agyemang.[9]

File:Christian wilhelmsson.jpg
Wilhelmsson playing for Al Ahli in 2011.

Los Angeles Galaxy

Wilhelmsson was announced as a LA Galaxy player on 5 September 2012.[10] He scored in his Major League Soccer debut nine days later, in a 2–0 win against the Colorado Rapids.

The American club opted not to renew Wilhelmsson's contract for the 2013 season.

Baniyas / Mjällby

On 14 January 2013, following his release by the Galaxy, Wilhelmsson signed a one-and-a-half-year deal with Baniyas SC. After a spell with former club Mjällby, the 35-year-old officially annnounced his retirement.[11] However, in August 2015, he came out of retirement to help the latter team retain their status in the Superettan.[12] The effort, however, failed and Mjällby was demoted after losing in the final qualification playoffs. Wilhelmssons conctract expired on December 30, 2015.

International career

Gaining his first cap in 2001, Wilhelmsson represented Sweden at UEFA Euro 2004, Euro 2008, Euro 2012 and the 2006 FIFA World Cup, featuring in every one of the national team's four games in the latter tournament and starting in two.

On 4 September 2006 he was one of three international players sent home for breaking a curfew during a night out, the other two being Olof Mellberg and Zlatan Ibrahimović.[13] In March 2011, he was involved in a training ground scuffle with the latter.[14]

Wilhelmsson scored his first brace for Sweden in a Euro 2012 qualifier against San Marino on 6 September 2011 (5–0 away win), for his seventh and eighth international goals.[15] He was also selected for the finals in Poland and Ukraine by manager Erik Hamren, collecting three bench appearances in an eventual group stage exit.

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 13 October 2004 Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland  Iceland 4–0 4–1 2006 World Cup qualification
2. 4 June 2005 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden  Malta 3–0 6–0 2006 World Cup qualification
3. 11 October 2006 Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland  Iceland 2–1 2–1 Euro 2008 qualifying
4. 13 October 2007 Rheinpark, Vaduz, Liechtenstein  Liechtenstein 2–0 3–0 Euro 2008 qualifying
5. 2 June 2010 Dynama Stadium, Minsk, Belarus  Belarus 1–0 1–0 Friendly
6. 2 September 2011 Ferenc Puskás, Budapest, Hungary  Hungary 1–1 1–2 Euro 2012 qualifying
7. 6 September 2011 Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle, San Marino  San Marino 2–0 5–0 Euro 2012 qualifying
8. 5–0
9. 30 May 2012 Gamla Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden  Iceland 3–1 3–2 Friendly

Personal life

Wilhelmsson married Russian-born model Oksana Andersson in May 2010, in Las Vegas.[16]

Club statistics

[17]

Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sweden League Svenska Cupen League Cup Europe Total
1997 Mjällby Division 1 Södra 6 0 0 0 - - 6 0
1998 21 4 0 0 - - 21 4
1999 25 7 0 0 - - 25 7
Norway League Norwegian Cup League Cup Europe Total
2000 Stabæk Tippeligaen 24 9 0 0 - - 24 9
2001 25 6 0 0 - - 25 6
2002 26 6 0 0 - - 26 6
2003 9 4 0 0 - - 9 4
Belgium League Belgian Cup League Cup Europe Total
2003–04 Anderlecht Belgian Pro League 27 5 0 0 - - 27 5
2004–05 32 4 0 0 - - 32 4
2005–06 31 5 0 0 - - 31 5
France League Coupe de France Coupe de la Ligue Europe Total
2006–07 Nantes Ligue 1 13 0 0 0 0 0 - 13 0
Italy League Coppa Italia League Cup Europe Total
2006–07 Roma Serie A 19 1 0 0 - - 19 1
England League FA Cup League Cup Europe Total
2007–08 Bolton Premier League 8 0 1 0 1 0 3 0 13 0
Spain League Copa del Rey Supercopa de España Europe Total
2007–08 Deportivo La Liga 15 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 1
Saudi Arabia League Crown Prince Cup League Cup Asia Total
2008–09 Al-Hilal Saudi Professional League 18 4 9 4 - 4 0 31 8
2009–10 21 9 8 3 - 9 3 38 15
2010–11 22 6 6 2 - 4 2 32 10
Qatar League Emir of Qatar Cup League Cup Asia Total
2011–12 Al Ahli Qatar Stars League 11 0 0 0 - - 11 0
Saudi Arabia League Crown Prince Cup League Cup Asia Total
2011–12 Al-Hilal Saudi Professional League 8 5 1 1 - 1 2 10 8
USA League Open Cup League Cup North America Total
2012 LA Galaxy Major League Soccer 1 1 0 0 - 0 0 1 1
Total Sweden 52 11 0 0 - - 52 11
Norway 84 25 0 0 - - 84 25
Belgium 90 14 0 0 - - 90 14
France 13 0 0 0 0 0 - 13 0
Italy 19 1 0 0 - - 19 1
England 8 0 1 0 1 0 3 0 13 0
Spain 15 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 1
Saudi Arabia 74 24 24 10 - 18 7 116 41
Qatar 11 0 0 0 - - 11 0
USA 5 1 0 0 - 0 0 5 1
UEA 8 3 0 0 - 0 0 8 3
Career total 361 76 25 10 1 0 21 7 478 116

Honours

Club

Anderlecht
Roma
Al-Hilal
Los Angeles Galaxy
Baniyas

International

Sweden

Individual

References

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  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Swedish football stars booted out of national squad; The Local, 5 September 2006
  14. ↑ Zlatan Ibrahimovic kicks Christian Wilhelmsson during training – Video; Total Football Madness, 28 March 2011
  15. ↑ Five star Sweden too good for ten-man San Marino; UEFA.com, 6 September 2011
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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