Christian Wilhelmsson

Christian Wilhelmsson
Personal information
Full name Christian Ulf Wilhelmsson
Date of birth December 8, 1979 (1979-12-08) (age 32)
Place of birth Malmö, Sweden
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Winger
Club information
Current club Al-Ahly Doha
Number 10
Youth career
1988–1997 Mjällby
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1997–2000 Mjällby 52 (11)
2000–2003 Stabæk 84 (25)
2003–2006 Anderlecht 90 (13)
2006–2008 Nantes 13 (0)
2007 → Roma (loan) 19 (1)
2007 → Bolton Wanderers (loan) 8 (0)
2008 → Deportivo La Coruña (loan) 15 (1)
2008– Al-Hilal 61 (19)
2011– → Al-Ahly Doha (loan) 9 (0)
National team‡
2000–2001 Sweden U21 16 (2)
2001– Sweden 69 (8)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 1 September 2011.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 6 September 2011

Christian Ulf Wilhelmsson (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈkrɪstɪjan ˈvɪl(h)ɛ(l)m.ˈsɔn]; born 8 December 1979 in Malmö), nicknamed Chippen, is a Swedish professional footballer who plays for Al-Ahly Doha on loan from Al-Hilal FC, mainly as a right winger.

Contents

Club career

Early years / Anderlecht

Wilhelmsson started his career with Mjällby AIF in 1997, playing in three second division seasons with the club. He then spent as many years in neighbouring Norway with Stabæk Fotball.

In the 2003 summer, Wilhelmsson joined R.S.C. Anderlecht in Belgium, being an undisputed starter during his spell with the club, and scoring nine top division goals combined in the capital side's 2004 and 2006 league conquests.

Nantes / Loans

In 2006, Wilhelmsson moved to French team FC Nantes. However, on 10 January of the following year, he joined A.S. Roma on loan until the end of the season, when the Romans had the option to buy for €3 millions. He made his Serie A debut on 14 January against FC Messina,[1] but underwent criticism from teammates such as Christian Panucci for his lack of communication on the pitch, a derivative of his poor Italian language skills.

Roma opted against making Wilhelmsson's transfer permanent, preferring to sign Mauro Esposito and Ludovic Giuly instead, and he returned to Nantes, immediately starting seeking a new club following the Canaries' relegation from Ligue 1.[2] Following speculation about a move to the Premier League or the Scottish Premier League,[3][4] Wilhelmsson signed for Bolton Wanderers on a 12-month loan, with an option to make the deal permanent after 20 games.[5]

Despite a disappointing spell with the Trotters - eight league appearances, all as a substitute, the first in a 1–3 away defeat against Portsmouth[6]- Wilhelmsson was instrumental in closing the club's signing of countryman Johan Elmander for a record transfer fee, for the 2008–09 season.

After failing to impress Bolton manager Gary Megson, he was again loaned by Nantes, this time moving to Spain and Deportivo de La Coruña on 30 January 2008. He played his first La Liga match against Getafe CF, coming on as a substitute in a 1–1 home draw, and made his first start two rounds later, in a home fixture match against RCD Espanyol (2–0 home win).[7]

Wilhelmsson scored his first goal for Depor on 1 March 2008, in a 2–1 home win against Sevilla FC,[8] and finished the season firmly established in the side's starting XI - he would start in 13 of his league appearances - as the Galicians eventually finished ninth and qualified to the UEFA Intertoto Cup.

Saudi Arabia

In 2008, 28-year old Wilhelmsson signed a three-year contract with Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, for about €9 million. He spent the 2011–12 season on loan with Qatar's Al-Ahly Doha, as cover for departing striker Opoku Agyemang.[9]

International career

Gaining his first cap in 2001, Wilhelmsson represented Sweden at UEFA Euro 2004, Euro 2008 and the 2006 FIFA World Cup, featuring in every one of the national team's four games in the latter tournament, and starting in two.

On 4 September 2006, he was one of three international players sent home for breaking a curfew during a night out, the other two being Olof Mellberg and Zlatan Ibrahimović.[10] In March 2011, he was involved in a training ground scuffle with Ibrahimović.[11]

Wilhelmsson scored his first brace for Sweden in a Euro 2012 qualifier against San Marino on 6 September 2011 (5–0 away win), for his seventh and eighth international goals.[12]

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 13 October 2004 Laugardalsvöllur  Iceland 4–0 4–1 2006 World Cup qualification
2. 4 June 2005 Ullevi  Malta 3–0 6–0 2006 World Cup qualification
3. 11 October 2006 Laugardalsvöllur  Iceland 2–1 2–1 Euro 2008 qualifying
4. 13 October 2007 Rheinpark Stadion  Liechtenstein 2–0 3–0 Euro 2008 qualifying
5. 2 June 2010 Dynama Stadium  Belarus 1–0 1–0 Friendly
6. 2 September 2011 Ferenc Puskás Stadium  Hungary 1–1 1–2 Euro 2012 qualifying
7. 6 September 2011 Stadio Olimpico  San Marino 2–0 5–0 Euro 2012 qualifying
8. 6 September 2011 Stadio Olimpico  San Marino 5–0 5–0 Euro 2012 qualifying

Club statistics

Club Season League Cup Europe+Asia Total
Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists
Mjällby 1997 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0
1998 21 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 21 4 0
1999 25 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 25 7 0
Total 52 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 52 11 0
Stabæk 2000 24 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 24 9 0
2001 25 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 25 6 0
2002 26 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 26 6 0
2003 9 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 4 0
Total 84 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 84 25 0
Anderlecht 2003–04 27 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 27 5 0
2004–05 32 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 32 4 0
2005–06 31 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 31 5 0
Total 90 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 90 14 0
Nantes 2006–07 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 0 0
Total 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 0 0
Roma 2006–07 19 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 1 0
Total 19 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 1 0
Bolton 2007–08 8 0 0 2 0 0 3 0 0 13 0 0
Total 8 0 0 2 0 0 3 0 0 13 0 0
Deportivo 2007–08 15 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 1 0
Total 15 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 1 0
Al-Hilal 2008–09 18 4 7 9 4 0 4 0 1 31 8 8
2009–10 21 9 10 8 3 6 9 3 7 38 15 23
2010–11 22 6 9 6 2 6 4 2 2 32 10 17
Total 61 19 26 23 9 12 17 5 10 101 33 48
Al-Ahly 2011–12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career totals 342 71 26 25 9 12 19 5 10 387 85 48

Personal life

Wilhelmsson married Russian-born Swedish model Oksana Andersson in May 2010 in Las Vegas.[13]

References

  1. ^ "Tactical Formation". Football-Lineups. http://www.football-lineups.com/wiki/_match3288.php. Retrieved 18 January 2007. 
  2. ^ Kent Hedlundh (2 July 2007). "Wilhemsson looking for switch". Sky Sports. http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=474839&plid=28492&clid=430&cpid=104. 
  3. ^ Graeme Bailey (11 July 2007). "Prem trio battle for winger". Sky Sports. http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=476375&CPID=8&clid=25&lid=&title=Prem+trio+battle+for+winger. 
  4. ^ "Celtic monitor winger Wilhelmsson". Vital Football. 8 July 2007. http://www.celtic.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=72417. 
  5. ^ "Wilhelmsson completes Bolton move". BBC Sport. 27 July 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bolton_wanderers/6917262.stm. Retrieved 31 December 2009. 
  6. ^ "Portsmouth 3-1 Bolton". BBC Sport. 18 August 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/6941862.stm. Retrieved 7 September 2011. 
  7. ^ "Deportivo La Coruña 2-0 Espanyol". ESPN Soccernet. 24 February 2008. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report/_/id/226462?cc=5739. Retrieved 7 September 2011. 
  8. ^ "Deportivo La Coruña 2-1 Sevilla FC". ESPN Soccernet. 1 March 2008. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report/_/id/226648?cc=5739. Retrieved 7 September 2011. 
  9. ^ "Ah Ahli sign Swedish international Wilhelmsson". Qatar Football Association. 5 September 2011. http://www.qfa.com.qa/al-ahli-sign-swedish-international-wilhelmsson.aspx. 
  10. ^ Swedish football stars booted out of national squad; The Local, 5 September 2006
  11. ^ Zlatan Ibrahimovic kicks Christian Wilhelmsson during training – Video; Total Football Madness, 28 March 2011
  12. ^ Five star Sweden too good for ten-man San Marino; UEFA.com, 6 September 2011
  13. ^ "Chippen Wilhelmsson och Oksana Andersson gifta i Las Vegas [Chippen Wilhelmsson and Oksana Andersson married in Las Vegas]" (in Swedish). Expressen. 25 May 2010. http://www.expressen.se/noje/extra/1.1999893/chippen-wilhelmsson-och-oksana-andersson-gifta-i-las-vegas. Retrieved 9 September 2011. 

External links