Martin Olsson
Encyclopedia
Martin Tony Waikwa Olsson (born 17 May 1988) is a Swedish footballer who plays for Blackburn Rovers
and the Sweden national football team
. He signed from Högaborgs BK
for a nominal fee in January 2006 after a trial period.
, where former national star Henrik Larsson
began his career. Olsson was working his way through the youth setup at the club in 2005–06. His talent attracted the attention of football clubs in Europe, and in January 2006, English Premier League side Blackburn Rovers
signed him for their youth academy.
qualifier in the 2007–08 season
as a late substitution for Stephen Warnock
.
He made his Premier League debut against Derby County
in a 2-1 victory on 30 December 2007, coming on as an 84th minute substitute for Morten Gamst Pedersen
at Pride Park
, in front of a crowd of 30,048 spectators and the referee was Peter Walton
. He was voted Blackburn's Young Player of the Year for the season 2007–08.
In May 2008, Olsson signed a new four-year deal, keeping him at Blackburn until summer 2012.
On 24 September 2008, Olsson scored his first Blackburn goal, scoring the winning goal in a League Cup
tie against Everton
. The goal turned out to be the only goal of the match. On 20 January 2010, he scored a spectacular overhead kick in a 6–4 League Cup semi-final defeat against Aston Villa
in the 63rd minute at Villa Park
.
On 23 November 2009, Olsson was sent off for two yellow card offences on Tottenham Hotspur
winger Aaron Lennon
. He scored his first Premier League goal on 10 February against Hull City
at Ewood Park
in a 1–0 victory. Olsson made his 25th league appearance at home to Birmingham City
on 24 March 2010 in a 2–1 win. On 28 March 2010, when he made his 40th appearance for Blackburn against Burnley
in the East Lancashire derby
at Turf Moor
in the 1–0 victory, he caused controversy when he looked like he had dived inside Burnley's penalty area, consequently by winning a penalty
after taking the ball round Burnley goalkeeper Brian Jensen. Subsequently, the penalty was scored by David Dunn
. On 29 March 2010, Olsson admitted to the dive, Rovers manager, Sam Allardyce
defended Olsson by saying he was his man of the match and created havoc and chaos in and around the eighteen yard box all game.
He signed a new five-year contract in the summer of 2010 in which he described as an " easy choice". He further added that "I gained a lot of confidence, through both the management and my team-mates, and I thought I improved game by game. He said, that "It doesn't matter to me whether I am seen as a left-winger or a left-back but I have enjoyed the forward role and the chance to get in among the goals."
, which he had for most of pre-season. He featured in Rovers' opening 2010–11 Premier League game against Everton
at Ewood Park
on 14 August 2010, playing the full 90 minutes on the left-wing in a 1–0 victory. He scored his first league goal for Blackburn against Liverpool
inside 32 minutes on 5 January 2011 in a 3–1 victory at Ewood Park. On 12 February 2011, Olsson made his 50th Premier League appearance for the club when he started at left-back against Newcastle United
playing the full 90 minutes in a 0–0 draw. On 30 April 2011, he scored with a left-foot shot on 20 minutes against local rivals Bolton Wanderers
at home. On 22 May, Olsson started and played the full 90 minutes against Wolverhampton Wanderers
in a 3-2 win at Molineux
which kept both teams up for another season in the Premier League. At the end of the season, he made 32 appearances for Rovers in total and scored two goals in all competitions.
who himself was covering for various injuries at centre back. Olsson provided an assist in a 4-3 victory over Arsenal. After running from the half way line to the by-line, he pulled back a cross for Arsenal's Alex Song to score an own goal. After helping Sweden to the European Championships, Olsson returned from international duty to put in a Man of the Match performance on the left wing against QPR.
He was selected to be part of the senior 23-man squad that would face Bosnia and Herzegovina
on 29 May and Belarus
on 2 June 2010. Against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Olsson put Sweden back in front from close range in the 68th minute, two minutes after coming on as a substitute, and added his second in the 82nd from Marcus Berg
's center.
On 6 September 2011, he made his first start for the national team, playing at left back, and scored Sweden's third goal in the 81st minute of the 5–0 victory over San Marino
after a clever reverse pass by Zlatan Ibrahimović
in a Group E Euro 2012 qualifying fixture.
, Sweden. He has a twin brother, Marcus
, who plays for Halmstads BK
in Allsvenskan
. They are born to a Swedish father and Kenyan mother.
His sister Jessica is dating German basketball star Dirk Nowitzki
.
His agent used to be the former Sweden international player
Stefan Schwarz
. Controversial agent Rune Hauge
has also worked for Martin, after being introduced to him by Blackburn Rovers teammate Morten Gamst Pedersen
.
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
and 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...
. He signed from Högaborgs BK
Högaborgs BK
Högaborgs BK is a Swedish football club from Helsingborg that was founded in 1927. They currently play in the Swedish fourth division . The club is best known for breeding young talented players...
for a nominal fee in January 2006 after a trial period.
Högaborgs BK
Olsson began his playing career in Sweden by playing for Högaborgs BKHögaborgs BK
Högaborgs BK is a Swedish football club from Helsingborg that was founded in 1927. They currently play in the Swedish fourth division . The club is best known for breeding young talented players...
, where former national star Henrik Larsson
Henrik Larsson
Henrik Edward Larsson MBE is a retired Swedish footballer and current manager of Landskrona BoIS.Larsson began his career with Högaborgs BK. He moved to Helsingborg, where he was one of the key players when they qualified to Allsvenskan 1993. Larsson then moved to Feyenoord for four years before...
began his career. Olsson was working his way through the youth setup at the club in 2005–06. His talent attracted the attention of football clubs in Europe, and in January 2006, English Premier League side Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
signed him for their youth academy.
Blackburn Rovers
He made his Blackburn debut in the UEFA CupUEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
qualifier in the 2007–08 season
2007-08 in English football
The 2007–08 season was the 128th season of competitive football in England.-European competitions:In October 2007 Arsenal equalled the UEFA Champions League record victory with a 7–0 win over Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. The record was broken the following month when Liverpool...
as a late substitution for Stephen Warnock
Stephen Warnock
Stephen Warnock is an English footballer who plays for Aston Villa as a left-back.He has been capped by England twice and was part of the nation's squad at the 2010 FIFA World Cup...
.
He made his Premier League debut against 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...
in a 2-1 victory on 30 December 2007, coming on as an 84th minute substitute for Morten Gamst Pedersen
Morten Gamst Pedersen
Morten Gamst Pedersen is a Norwegian footballer who plays for Blackburn Rovers and the Norway national football team.-Tromsø IL:...
at Pride Park
Pride Park Stadium
Pride Park Stadium is an all-seater football stadium located on the Pride Park business park on the outskirts of Derby, England. It is the current home of Football League Championship club Derby County, who moved to the stadium from the Baseball Ground upon its opening in 1997...
, in front of a crowd of 30,048 spectators and the referee was Peter Walton
Peter Walton (referee)
Peter Walton , is an English professional football referee who officiates primarily in the Premier League, and former player in the United Counties League. He is based in Long Buckby, Northamptonshire, the town which he played his football for...
. He was voted Blackburn's Young Player of the Year for the season 2007–08.
In May 2008, Olsson signed a new four-year deal, keeping him at Blackburn until summer 2012.
On 24 September 2008, Olsson scored his first Blackburn goal, scoring the winning goal in a League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
tie against Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
. The goal turned out to be the only goal of the match. On 20 January 2010, he scored a spectacular overhead kick in a 6–4 League Cup semi-final defeat against 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 the 63rd minute at Villa Park
Villa Park
Villa Park may mean:United Kingdom* Villa Park, an association football stadium in Birmingham, EnglandUnited States* Villa Park, California, a small city in Orange County* Villa Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County...
.
On 23 November 2009, Olsson was sent off for two yellow card offences on 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....
winger Aaron Lennon
Aaron Lennon
Aaron Justin Lennon is an English footballer who plays as a right winger for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and the England national team.-Early life:...
. He scored his first Premier League goal on 10 February against Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
at Ewood Park
Ewood Park
Ewood Park is a football stadium in the English town of Blackburn, Lancashire, and is the home of Blackburn Rovers Football Club — one of the founder members of the Football League and Premier League. Rovers have played there since they moved from Leamington Street in the summer of 1890. The...
in a 1–0 victory. Olsson made his 25th league appearance at home to Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
on 24 March 2010 in a 2–1 win. On 28 March 2010, when he made his 40th appearance for Blackburn against 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...
in the East Lancashire derby
East Lancashire derby
The East Lancashire Derby is a football match between Blackburn Rovers F.C. and Burnley F.C..The derby is one of the oldest and fiercest derby matches in the game...
at Turf Moor
Turf Moor
Turf Moor is a football stadium in Burnley, Lancashire. It is the home ground of Burnley Football Club, which has played there since moving from its Calder Vale ground in 1883. The stadium, which is situated on Harry Potts Way, named so after the club's longest serving Manager, has a capacity of...
in the 1–0 victory, he caused controversy when he looked like he had dived inside Burnley's penalty area, consequently by winning a penalty
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
after taking the ball round Burnley goalkeeper Brian Jensen. Subsequently, the penalty was scored by David Dunn
David Dunn
David John Ian Dunn is an English footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Premier League club Blackburn Rovers.-Blackburn Rovers:...
. On 29 March 2010, Olsson admitted to the dive, Rovers manager, Sam Allardyce
Sam Allardyce
Samuel "Sam" Allardyce , nicknamed "Big Sam", is an English football manager and former professional player. In June 2011 he was appointed as manager of West Ham United....
defended Olsson by saying he was his man of the match and created havoc and chaos in and around the eighteen yard box all game.
He signed a new five-year contract in the summer of 2010 in which he described as an " easy choice". He further added that "I gained a lot of confidence, through both the management and my team-mates, and I thought I improved game by game. He said, that "It doesn't matter to me whether I am seen as a left-winger or a left-back but I have enjoyed the forward role and the chance to get in among the goals."
2010–11 season
In June 2010, Olsson signed a new five-year-deal at Blackburn Rovers that would keep him at the club until summer 2015. At the start of the 2010–11 season, Olsson acquired the number three jersey by manager Sam AllardyceSam Allardyce
Samuel "Sam" Allardyce , nicknamed "Big Sam", is an English football manager and former professional player. In June 2011 he was appointed as manager of West Ham United....
, which he had for most of pre-season. He featured in Rovers' opening 2010–11 Premier League game against Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
at Ewood Park
Ewood Park
Ewood Park is a football stadium in the English town of Blackburn, Lancashire, and is the home of Blackburn Rovers Football Club — one of the founder members of the Football League and Premier League. Rovers have played there since they moved from Leamington Street in the summer of 1890. The...
on 14 August 2010, playing the full 90 minutes on the left-wing in a 1–0 victory. He scored his first league goal for Blackburn against 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...
inside 32 minutes on 5 January 2011 in a 3–1 victory at Ewood Park. On 12 February 2011, Olsson made his 50th Premier League appearance for the club when he started at left-back against Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
playing the full 90 minutes in a 0–0 draw. On 30 April 2011, he scored with a left-foot shot on 20 minutes against local rivals 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....
at home. On 22 May, Olsson started and played the full 90 minutes against Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
in a 3-2 win at Molineux
Molineux
Molineux may refer to:*William Molineux, American, participant in the Boston Tea Party*Molineux Stadium, in Wolverhampton, England**by metonymy, Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C., the team that plays there...
which kept both teams up for another season in the Premier League. At the end of the season, he made 32 appearances for Rovers in total and scored two goals in all competitions.
2011–12 season
Now considered a key player, Olsson started off the season at left back covering for Gael GivetGaël Givet
Gaël Givet-Viaros is a French footballer who plays for Blackburn Rovers. Givet is a left-footed centre back who can also play left-back.-Monaco:...
who himself was covering for various injuries at centre back. Olsson provided an assist in a 4-3 victory over Arsenal. After running from the half way line to the by-line, he pulled back a cross for Arsenal's Alex Song to score an own goal. After helping Sweden to the European Championships, Olsson returned from international duty to put in a Man of the Match performance on the left wing against QPR.
International career
Olsson has played several matches for Sweden's under 18 and under 21 national squads.He was selected to be part of the senior 23-man squad that would face Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team
The Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team is the national football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina, governed by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
on 29 May and Belarus
Belarus national football team
The Belarus national football team represents Belarus in association football and is controlled by the Football Federation of Belarus, the governing body for football in Belarus. Belarus' home ground is Dinamo Stadium in Minsk...
on 2 June 2010. Against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Olsson put Sweden back in front from close range in the 68th minute, two minutes after coming on as a substitute, and added his second in the 82nd from Marcus Berg
Marcus Berg
Marcus Berg is a Swedish football striker who currently plays for German Bundesliga club Hamburger SV. He is nicknamed Svarte-Marcus due to scoring a lot of goals in the junior teams, in reference to Filip "Svarte-Filip" Johansson....
's center.
On 6 September 2011, he made his first start for the national team, playing at left back, and scored Sweden's third goal in the 81st minute of the 5–0 victory over San Marino
San Marino national football team
The San Marino national football team is the national football team of San Marino, controlled by the San Marino Football Federation...
after a clever reverse pass by Zlatan Ibrahimović
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimović is a Swedish footballer who plays as a striker for Serie A club Milan and the Swedish national team for which he is captain....
in a Group E Euro 2012 qualifying fixture.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 29 May 2010 | Råsunda Stadium Råsunda Stadium Råsunda Fotbollstadion, also Råsundastadion, Råsunda Stadium or just Råsunda, is a Swedish national football stadium. It is located in Solna Municipality in Metropolitan Stockholm and named after Råsunda, a zone of Solna.-History:... , Solna Solna Municipality Solna Municipality is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden, located just north of the capital Stockholm. Its seat is located in the 'city' of Solna.... |
2–1 | 4–2 | Friendly | |
| 2. | 29 May 2010 | Råsunda Stadium Råsunda Stadium Råsunda Fotbollstadion, also Råsundastadion, Råsunda Stadium or just Råsunda, is a Swedish national football stadium. It is located in Solna Municipality in Metropolitan Stockholm and named after Råsunda, a zone of Solna.-History:... , Solna Solna Municipality Solna Municipality is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden, located just north of the capital Stockholm. Its seat is located in the 'city' of Solna.... |
3–1 | 4–2 | Friendly | |
| 3. | 6 September 2011 | Stadio Olimpico Stadio Olimpico (San Marino) Stadio Olimpico is a multi-purpose stadium in Serravalle, San Marino. It is currently used mostly for football matches. It is the national stadium of San Marino, and is also used by the club San Marino Calcio, which plays in the Italian football league. The Stadio Olimpico was also used by... , Serravalle |
3–0 | 5–0 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying Group E This page shows the standings and results for Group E of the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying tournament.-Standings:*Note: Sweden qualified directly for the finals as the best runners-up.- Results and fixtures :... |
|
| 4. | 7 October 2011 | Helsinki Olympic Stadium Helsinki Olympic Stadium The Helsinki Olympic Stadium , located in the Töölö district about from the center of the Finnish capital Helsinki, is the largest stadium in the country, nowadays mainly used for hosting sports events and big concerts. The stadium is best known for being the center of activities in the 1952... , Helsinki Helsinki Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is... |
2–0 | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying Group E This page shows the standings and results for Group E of the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying tournament.-Standings:*Note: Sweden qualified directly for the finals as the best runners-up.- Results and fixtures :... |
Club career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe UEFA The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer.... |
Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers F.C. Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football.... |
2007–08 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 2008–09 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 | |
| 2009–10 | 21 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 2 | |
| 2010–11 | 29 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 2 | |
| 2011–12 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | |
| Total | 71 | 3 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 91 | 5 | |
Personal life
Olsson was born in GävleGävle
Gävle is a city in Sweden, the seat of Gävle Municipality and the capital of Gävleborg County. It had 71,033 inhabitants in 12/31 2010. It is the oldest city in the historical Norrland , having received its charter in 1446 from Christopher of Bavaria.-History:It is believed that the name Gävle...
, Sweden. He has a twin brother, Marcus
Marcus Olsson
Marcus Olsson is a Swedish footballer of Kenyan descent, who plays as a midfielder for Halmstads BK.-Career:...
, who plays for Halmstads BK
Halmstads BK
Halmstads Bollklubb, also called HBK or just Halmstad, is a Swedish football club located in Halmstad in the southwest of Sweden. The club, formed 6 March 1914, competes in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan, and has won 4 national championship titles and 1 national cup title...
in 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...
. They are born to a Swedish father and Kenyan mother.
His sister Jessica is dating German basketball star Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Werner Nowitzki is a German professional basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association...
.
His agent used to be the former Sweden international player
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...
Stefan Schwarz
Stefan Schwarz
Hans-Jürgen Stefan Schwarz is a Swedish former footballer.Born to a German father, he played as a midfielder and a left-back. He started playing football at youth level in Kulladals FF and began his career at his hometown club Malmö FF...
. Controversial agent Rune Hauge
Rune Hauge
Rune Hauge is a Norwegian football agent.In English football, Hauge is best known as the agent who represented John Jensen and Pål Lydersen during their transfers to Arsenal in the early 1990s. This would lead to Arsenal manager George Graham becoming embroiled in allegations that Hauge paid him a...
has also worked for Martin, after being introduced to him by Blackburn Rovers teammate Morten Gamst Pedersen
Morten Gamst Pedersen
Morten Gamst Pedersen is a Norwegian footballer who plays for Blackburn Rovers and the Norway national football team.-Tromsø IL:...
.