Tommy Svensson
![]() Svensson at the 1970 FIFA World Cup | |||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Leif Tommy Svensson | ||||||||||||||||
Date of birth | 4 March 1945 | ||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Växjö, Sweden | ||||||||||||||||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||||||||||||||||
Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
1964–1971 | Östers IF | 76 | (14) | ||||||||||||||
1971–1973 | Standard Liège | 41 | (3) | ||||||||||||||
1973–1977 | Östers IF | 103 | (11) | ||||||||||||||
Total | 220 | (28) | |||||||||||||||
International career | |||||||||||||||||
1967–1973 | Sweden[1] | 40 | (4) | ||||||||||||||
Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||
1978–1984 | Östers IF (team manager) | ||||||||||||||||
1985–1986 | Alvesta GIF | ||||||||||||||||
1988–1990 | Tromsø IL | ||||||||||||||||
1991–1997 | Sweden | ||||||||||||||||
2001 | Tromsø IL | ||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Leif Tommy Svensson[2] (born 4 March 1945) is a Swedish former football manager and player. He is best known for playing for Östers IF and the Sweden men's national football team. He won the Guldbollen in 1969. He managed Sweden between 1991 and 1997 and led them to a bronze medal at the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
He is the son of Stig Svensson and the uncle of Joachim Björklund.
Early years
[edit]Svensson was born 4 March 1945 to Stig Svensson. Stig was a footballer who played for Östers IF and dubbed Mr. Öster.[3]
Svensson, like his father, had a natural talent for football. At just eleven years-old, he debuted for Östers youth team, and allegedly scored eight goals in the match.[4] However, newspaper headlines said he was too weak. Tommy bought a barbell and trained. Morning, noon and night, he lifted weights in order to bulk up.[5]
Playing career
[edit]Svensson's playing career took him to Östers IF as well as Belgian Standard Liège. Throughout his career, he suffered from knee injuries. His injuries almost stopped him from competing in 1968.[6] However, Svensson persevered. He was awarded Guldbollen in 1969 and played at the 1970 FIFA World Cup.[7]
Managing career
[edit]After retiring, Svensson started working as the Östers IF team manager while Lars "Laban" Arnesson was the coach. He later had a successful period with Tromsø IL, and became national team coach in 1991.
He led the Sweden national team to the 1992 European Football Championship semi final as well as a bronze medal at the 1994 FIFA World Cup. He resigned in 1997 after failing to qualify for UEFA Euro 1996 and 1998 FIFA World Cup, and later worked in television with match commentary as well as coaching Tromsø for a second period in 2001.
Outside the Azteca Stadium, there are statues representing the best is a statue of the best players of each nation. Sweden is represented by Tommy Svensson.
Honours
[edit]Player
[edit]Östers IF
Individual
- Guldbollen: 1969
- Stor Grabb: 1969
Manager
[edit]- Öster
- Sweden
- FIFA World Cup: Third Place 1994
References
[edit]- ^ "Sweden men's national football team stats". passagen.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 9 June 2001.
- ^ birthday.se
- ^ ""Hemskt att se"".
- ^ "Aftonbladet sport: Guldbollen".
- ^ "Aftonbladet sport: Guldbollen".
- ^ "Aftonbladet sport: Guldbollen".
- ^ FIFA.com
External links
[edit]- Guldbollen 1969 (Aftonbladet.se) (in Swedish)
- Player profile at Standard de Liège [permanent dead link] (in French)
- 1945 births
- Living people
- Swedish men's footballers
- Swedish expatriate men's footballers
- Sweden men's international footballers
- Östers IF players
- Standard Liège players
- 1970 FIFA World Cup players
- Swedish football managers
- Östers IF managers
- Sweden men's national football team managers
- UEFA Euro 1992 managers
- 1994 FIFA World Cup managers
- Swedish expatriate sportspeople in Belgium
- Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium
- Tromsø IL managers
- Men's association football midfielders
- Belgian Pro League players
- Allsvenskan players
- Sportspeople from Växjö