Kjetil Rekdal

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Kjetil Rekdal
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Kjetil Rekdal

Kjetil André Rekdal (born November 6, 1968) is a Norwegian football coach and a former player. He is 1.87 meters tall and weighs about 85 kg. He was head coach for Vålerenga I.F. Fotball from 2001 and resigned August 21, 2006.

As a player he had spells in France, Germany and Belgium as well as his homeland. Rekdal has 83 games for the Norwegian national team, after his debut against Italy in 1987, and played in two FIFA World Cups (1994 and 1998). He has scored 17 goals for the national team, among those one legendary goal at Wembley against England, the only goal in the game as Norway beat Mexico in the 1994 World Cup and a penalty in the 1998 World Cup against Brazil to win the game 2-1. The two World Cup goals makes him the highest scoring Norwegian in World Cup history, with one goal more than Arne Brustad, Dan Eggen, Håvard Flo and Tore André Flo.

He has previously played for the following clubs: Fiksdal/Rekdal, Molde, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Lierse, Rennes and Hertha BSC Berlin.

Rekdal has proven himself a successful coach, leading Vålerenga from relegation and back into position as one of the dominating clubs in the Norwegian Premier League. In 2004 he led the team to second place, losing the first place on goal difference to Rosenborg, and in 2005 his team finally won the league for the first time in 21 years, ending Rosenborg's 13 year reign as champions of Norway.

He is divorced and has two children.

Rekdal resigned as coach for Vålerenga August 21. He was appointed Manager of his former club Lierse SK on November 22.

Norway Norway squad - 1994 World Cup Norway

1 Thorstvedt | 2 Halle | 3 Johnsen | 4 Bratseth | 5 Bjørnebye | 6 Flo | 7 Mykland | 8 Leonhardsen | 9 Fjørtoft | 10 Rekdal | 11 Jakobsen | 12 Grodås | 13 Rise | 14 Nilsen | 15 Løken | 16 Sørloth | 17 Eggen | 18 Haaland | 19 Strand | 20 Berg | 21 Rushfeldt | 22 Bohinen | Coach: Olsen

Norway Norway squad - 1998 FIFA World Cup Norway

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