Solveig Gulbrandsen
Encyclopedia
Solveig Gulbrandsen (born 12 January 1981) is a Norwegian
footballer from the Oppegård
area to the South-East of Oslo
. She is a midfielder on her club side Stabæk Fotball.
In 1998 she made her debut for the Norwegian National Team
and has since made regular appearances. She won the gold medal with the Norwegian national team in the 2000 Summer Olympics
. In 2005 Norway reached the Final of the 2005 UEFA Women's Championship
by beating Sweden 3-2, with Gulbrandsen scoring two goals and earning a yellow card for hoisting her shirt over her head after scoring the first goal. She has played 139 international matches and scored 40 goals (30-09-2009).
Gulbrandsen took part in the FIFA Women's World Cup 2007
tournament in China, her third such tournament, when Norway achieved fourth place behind Germany, Brazil and the USA. Her team Kolbotn
became the Norwegian Cup holders after winning the Cup Final in November 2007.
Gulbrandsen is married to Espen Andreassen, a former football trainer in Kolbotn women's football club. She is the daughter of former Norway international footballer Terje Gulbrandsen and Inger Elise Johansen, a former Norwegian champion in Rhythmic Gymnastics. She is unrelated to the other footballer Ragnhild Gulbrandsen
. On 8 June 2006 Solveig Gulbrandsen gave birth to her first child, a son named Theodor.
On 9 June 2008 she was named to the Norwegian roster for the 2008 Summer Olympics
to be held in Beijing, China.
In December 2008 Gulbrandsen announced her transfer to the new women's football club Stabæk FK, formed largely from the bankrupt club Asker FK.
Gulbrandsen was selected for Norway's team in the UEFA Women's Euro 2009 played in Finland. The team survived the group stage to beat Sweden 3-1 in the quarter-final, losing to Germany 3-1 in the semifinal. At the end of the tournament she announced it would be her last championship but she would continue playing to the end of the season at least. In October 2009 she announced that she had decided with her family that she would continue playing for another season.
On December 10, 2009 FC Gold Pride
in Santa Clara, California, playing in the WPS league, announced that Gulbrandsen had signed a contract with the club to play and to take part in coaching and education, starting in March 2010. However, on July 7, 2010, FC Gold Pride announced that Gulbrandsen would be returning to Norway and Stabæk FK, effective after the club's July 17 match against Philadelphia. Gulbrandsen cited a desire to begin a transition to a post-soccer career in Norway for her decision .
After a successful autumn season with Stabæk in 2010 she announced her retirement as a football player and joined the Oslo club Vålerenga
as an assistant trainer. She also announced that she was expecting her second child, and the child was born on June 19 2011, a daughter named Lilly.
A highlight video of Gulbrandsen's last league match, in which she assisted two goals and Stabæk won the Toppserien league title, can be seen on line from the Norwegian channel TV 2 .
In the latter half of the 2011 season Gulbrandsen has been playing as a substitute for the first-division club Vålerenga.
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...
footballer from the Oppegård
Oppegård
Oppegård is a village and municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Follo. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Kolbotn. The new municipality of Oppegård was separated from the municipality of Nesodden on 1 July 1915...
area to the South-East of Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. She is a midfielder on her club side Stabæk Fotball.
In 1998 she made her debut for the Norwegian National Team
Norway women's national football team
The Norway women's national football team represents Norway in international women's football. The team, controlled by the Football Association of Norway, are former European, World and Olympic champions and thus one of the most successful national teams...
and has since made regular appearances. She won the gold medal with the Norwegian national team in the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
. In 2005 Norway reached the Final of the 2005 UEFA Women's Championship
2005 UEFA Women's Championship
The 2005 UEFA Women's Championship, also referred to as WOMEN'S EURO 2005 , was a football tournament for women held from 5 June to 19 June 2005 in Lancashire, England. The UEFA Women's Championship is a regular tournament involving European national teams from countries affiliated to UEFA, the...
by beating Sweden 3-2, with Gulbrandsen scoring two goals and earning a yellow card for hoisting her shirt over her head after scoring the first goal. She has played 139 international matches and scored 40 goals (30-09-2009).
Gulbrandsen took part in the FIFA Women's World Cup 2007
FIFA Women's World Cup 2007
The FIFA Women's World Cup 2007 was an international association football competition for women held in China from September 10, 2007 – September 30, 2007. Originally, China was to host the 2003 Women's World Cup, but the outbreak of SARS in that country forced that event to be moved to the United...
tournament in China, her third such tournament, when Norway achieved fourth place behind Germany, Brazil and the USA. Her team Kolbotn
Kolbotn
Kolbotn is the centre of Oppegård, Norway. The population is about 6,000.Kolbotn has several elementary schools, four middle schools and a high school.The Norwegian black metal band Darkthrone formed there in 1986....
became the Norwegian Cup holders after winning the Cup Final in November 2007.
Gulbrandsen is married to Espen Andreassen, a former football trainer in Kolbotn women's football club. She is the daughter of former Norway international footballer Terje Gulbrandsen and Inger Elise Johansen, a former Norwegian champion in Rhythmic Gymnastics. She is unrelated to the other footballer Ragnhild Gulbrandsen
Ragnhild Gulbrandsen
Ragnhild Gulbrandsen is a Norwegian football striker from the city of Trondheim who retired from football at the end of 2007...
. On 8 June 2006 Solveig Gulbrandsen gave birth to her first child, a son named Theodor.
On 9 June 2008 she was named to the Norwegian roster for the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
to be held in Beijing, China.
In December 2008 Gulbrandsen announced her transfer to the new women's football club Stabæk FK, formed largely from the bankrupt club Asker FK.
Gulbrandsen was selected for Norway's team in the UEFA Women's Euro 2009 played in Finland. The team survived the group stage to beat Sweden 3-1 in the quarter-final, losing to Germany 3-1 in the semifinal. At the end of the tournament she announced it would be her last championship but she would continue playing to the end of the season at least. In October 2009 she announced that she had decided with her family that she would continue playing for another season.
On December 10, 2009 FC Gold Pride
FC Gold Pride
FC Gold Pride was an American professional soccer club based in Santa Clara, California which participated in Women's Professional Soccer. The club replaced the San Jose CyberRays of the defunct Women's United Soccer Association as the top-level women's soccer team in the San Francisco Bay Area...
in Santa Clara, California, playing in the WPS league, announced that Gulbrandsen had signed a contract with the club to play and to take part in coaching and education, starting in March 2010. However, on July 7, 2010, FC Gold Pride announced that Gulbrandsen would be returning to Norway and Stabæk FK, effective after the club's July 17 match against Philadelphia. Gulbrandsen cited a desire to begin a transition to a post-soccer career in Norway for her decision .
After a successful autumn season with Stabæk in 2010 she announced her retirement as a football player and joined the Oslo club Vålerenga
Vålerenga
Vålerenga is a neighbourhood in the city of Oslo, Norway, belonging to the borough of Gamle Oslo. Vålerenga is located between the neighbourhoods of Gamlebyen, Jordal, Ensjø, Etterstad and Lodalen. Vålerenga is in particular known for its traditional, small wooden houses, and for its football and...
as an assistant trainer. She also announced that she was expecting her second child, and the child was born on June 19 2011, a daughter named Lilly.
A highlight video of Gulbrandsen's last league match, in which she assisted two goals and Stabæk won the Toppserien league title, can be seen on line from the Norwegian channel TV 2 .
In the latter half of the 2011 season Gulbrandsen has been playing as a substitute for the first-division club Vålerenga.