Øyvind Leonhardsen

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Øyvind Leonhardsen (born August 17, 1970) is a Norwegian former footballer. He retired after the 2007 season. At that moment he was captain of Strømsgodset I.F. 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 Oslo 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 F.K. in 1989. Two years later he was brought to Norwegian champions Rosenborg B.K.. Playing for them, he was voted best player in Norway in 1994. Leonhardsen moved to Wimbledon in the English Premier League the following season, where he made an instant impact. In the summer of 1997 he was bought by his childhood favourite club Liverpool. He also had a couple of seasons with both Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa, before he moved back to Norway in 2004 to join F.C. Lyn Oslo, where he became the captain. He signed a two year contract with Strømsgodset I.F. from Drammen in December 2005. In the 2006 season Strømsgodset I.F. won the Norwegian First Division.

Leonhardsen has made 86 appearances for the Norwegian national team, scoring 19 goals. He was part of the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup squads.

v • d • e Norway squad - 1994 FIFA World Cup 1 Thorstvedt • 2 Halle • 3 Johnsen • 4 Bratseth • 5 Bjørnebye • 6 J. Flo • 7 Mykland • 8 Leonhardsen • 9 Fjørtoft • 10 Rekdal • 11 Jakobsen • 12 Grodås • 13 By Rise • 14 Nilsen • 15 Løken • 16 Sørloth • 17 Eggen • 18 Håland • 19 Strand • 20 Berg • 21 Rushfeldt • 22 Bohinen • Coach: Olsen

v • d • e Norway squad - 1998 FIFA World Cup 1 Grodås • 2 Halle • 3 Johnsen • 4 Berg • 5 Bjørnebye • 6 Solbakken • 7 Mykland • 8 Leonhardsen • 9 T. Flo • 10 Rekdal • 11 Jakobsen • 12 Myhre • 13 Baardsen • 14 Heggem • 15 Eggen • 16 J. Flo • 17 H. Flo • 18 Østenstad • 19 Hoftun • 20 Solskjær • 21 Riseth • 22 Strand • Coach: Olsen