| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | John Arne Semundseth Riise | ||
| Date of birth | 24 September 1980 | ||
| Place of birth | Ålesund, Norway | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Playing position | Left back | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Fulham | ||
| Number | 3 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1996 | Aalesund | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1996–1998 | Aalesund | 25 | (5) |
| 1998–2001 | AS Monaco | 44 | (4) |
| 2001–2008 | Liverpool | 234 | (31) |
| 2008–2011 | Roma | 99 | (7) |
| 2011– | Fulham | 16 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 1996 | Norway U15 | 9 | (2) |
| 1997 | Norway U16 | 5 | (2) |
| 1997 | Norway U17 | 2 | (0) |
| 1998 | Norway U18 | 4 | (0) |
| 1999 | Norway U19 | 1 | (0) |
| 1998–2000 | Norway U21 | 17 | (2) |
| 2000– | Norway | 100 | (14) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19:44, 11 September 2011 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). |
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John Arne Semundseth Riise (born 24 September 1980 in Ålesund, Norway) is a Norwegian footballer who currently plays as a left wing-back for Fulham and the Norwegian national team. Riise spent seven years playing for Premier League side Liverpool before moving to Roma in 2008. He is the older brother of Bjørn Helge Riise, who is his team-mate at Fulham.
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Riise began his career in his homeland with Aalesund. After a single season as a senior player for the club, he moved abroad in 1998, playing the formative years of his professional career with French club AS Monaco.
He was a regular member of the 1999–2000 Ligue 1 championship-winning side, however, he fell out of favour with coach Claude Puel after admitting his desire to leave. Riise was subject of interest from English Premier League clubs, especially Fulham and Leeds United that both offered £4 million bids in 2000,[2] though both came to nothing as Monaco wanted £6 million for him.
He was then sold to Liverpool for £4 million the following summer.[3]
He made his debut for Liverpool in the 24 August 2001 2001 UEFA Super Cup game against Bayern Munich played at the Stade Louis II. He scored as Liverpool went on to win the game 3–2.[4] He also scored important goals throughout the Premier League season against teams such as Arsenal, Everton, Newcastle, and Manchester United. Riise initially wore the number 18 shirt but changed to the number 6 shirt in the 2004–2005 season, which had been vacated by defender Markus Babbel. He scored ten goals in his first season with Liverpool.
He endured what were considered below-average seasons by most in the 2002–03 and 2003–04 seasons,[5] but he rediscovered his form in 2004–05 following the appointment of Rafael Benítez as manager. He won a Champions League winner's medal, providing the assist for Liverpool's first goal of the final, although his attempt in the penalty shoot-out against Milan was saved. In the 2005 Football League Cup Final he scored in the first minute of the game; however, Chelsea eventually prevailed 3–2 after extra time.
In January 2006, Riise signed a new contract at Anfield to keep him at the club until 2009.[6] In February 2008, Riise announced his desire to stay at Liverpool for the rest of his career.[7]
He helped the club to win the 2005–06 FA Cup, scoring in the semi-final against Chelsea and successfully converting his attempt in the penalty shoot-out against West Ham in the final.
After a poor run of form in Liverpool's away games in the autumn of 2006, Riise reacted to comments made by teammates Pepe Reina and Jamie Carragher that Liverpool could effectively write off their chances of winning the league, saying, "We never give up. Cowards give up."[8]
Riise made it into the list of the top 50 Liverpool appearance-makers of all time when he played in the 5–0 victory over Luton Town on 15 January 2008.
On 22 April 2008, in Liverpool's Champions League semi-final first leg against Chelsea at Anfield, Riise scored an own goal in the 95th minute to equalise. Liverpool went on to lose 3–2 in the away match and were eliminated from the tournament 4–3 on aggregate.
Throughout the 2007–08 season, Riise's natural place in the side was often taken by Fábio Aurélio, the Brazilian establishing himself as the club's first choice left-back.[9] After being linked with moves to other English clubs, Riise signed on 18 June 2008 a four-year contract with A.S. Roma. The club paid €5 million total (which could go up to €5.5 million), including €2.8 million per year.[10] Riise soon became a fan favorite with his hard working spirit which drove Roma to several important victories. In fact, Riise's first goal for the club was against league leaders Internazionale in a pivotal top of the table game. Two months later, he scored again in the same stadium against Milan with a free kick into the top right corner, also providing an assist on Roma's second goal of the game. Riise was the man of the match for the game, which ended 3–2 in favour of Roma.[11] On 24 January 2010, Riise scored a late header three minutes into injury time in Roma's 2–1 away win over Juventus. He was also responsible for the dismissal of influential goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon in the same game after making a terrific run leaving Buffon no choice but to foul the full back. Given the nature of the game, it is seen as one of Riise's most memorable moments in a Roma jersey to date.[12]
On 13 July 2011, Fulham announced that John Arne Riise had signed a three-year-deal with the club for an undisclosed fee.[13] Riise joined his brother, Bjørn Helge Riise at Fulham who signed for the club in 2009.[14] Riise made his Fulham debut on 21 July 2011 playing in the Europa League against Crusaders at Craven Cottage. Riise has been a regular starter for the left back position in league matches since then.
John Arne Riise made his debut for Norway against Iceland on 31 January 2000. His first international goals came against Turkey, in a Friendly match on 23 February 2000, a game Norway won 2-0. Through the next decade, Riise was Norway's first-choice left-back, and on 12 November 2011, he played his 100th international match when Norway lost 4-1 against Wales[15]
Scores and results list Norway's goal tally first:
Riise married his childhood sweetheart, Norwegian model Guri Havnevik, in 2003[16] but later divorced in 2004. He has one daughter with Guri named Ariana, born in January 2001. He has Ariana's name tattooed on his right arm.
Riise has a younger brother named Bjørn Helge Riise who is his team-mate at Fulham.
He is now married to Maria Elvegard. They got engaged in 2007. The couple were due to be married in the summer of 2008 but had to postpone the day after moving to Rome. They married on 21 June 2010 in a private ceremony in New York, inviting only their family and close friends.[17] Maria decided to have a double barrelled surname, (Elvegard Riise).
On 4 August 2009, Maria gave birth to the couple's first child, Emma.[18] He has Emma's name and date of birth tattooed on his left arm.
Maria is currently pregnant with the couple's second child (John's third), a boy who is due at the end of November 2011.[19]
| Club performance | League | Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Norway | League | Norwegian Football Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | |||||||
| 1997 | Aalesund | First Division | 8 | 1 | – | – | – | 8 | 1 | |||
| 1998 | 17 | 4 | – | – | – | 17 | 4 | |||||
| France | League | Coupe de France | Coupe de la Ligue | Europe | Total | |||||||
| 1998–99 | AS Monaco | Division 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| 1999–2000 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 27 | 2 | ||
| 2000–01 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 3 | ||
| England | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | |||||||
| 2001–02 | Liverpool | Premier League | 38 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 55 | 8 |
| 2002–03 | 37 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 55 | 6 | ||
| 2003–04 | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 35 | 0 | ||
| 2004–05 | 37 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 57 | 8 | ||
| 2005–06 | 32 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 50 | 4 | ||
| 2006–07 | 33 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 46 | 4 | ||
| 2007–08 | 29 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 41 | 0 | ||
| Italy | League | Coppa Italia | League Cup | Europe | Total | |||||||
| 2008–09 | Roma | Serie A | 31 | 2 | 3 | 0 | – | 8 | 0 | 42 | 2 | |
| 2009–10 | 36 | 5 | 3 | 0 | – | 11 | 2 | 49 | 8 | |||
| 2010–11 | 32 | 0 | 4 | 0 | – | 5 | 0 | 41 | 0 | |||
| England | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | |||||||
| 2011–12 | Fulham | Premier League | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Total | Norway | 25 | 5 | – | – | – | 25 | 5 | ||||
| France | 44 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 55 | 5 | ||
| England | 250 | 21 | 15 | 3 | 14 | 2 | 76 | 4 | 355 | 30 | ||
| Italy | 99 | 7 | 10 | 0 | – | 24 | 2 | 133 | 9 | |||
| Career total | 418 | 37 | 25 | 3 | 16 | 2 | 109 | 7 | 568 | 49 | ||
| Norway national team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2000 | 7 | 1 |
| 2001 | 4 | 0 |
| 2002 | 9 | 2 |
| 2003 | 11 | 0 |
| 2004 | 10 | 0 |
| 2005 | 10 | 2 |
| 2006 | 6 | 0 |
| 2007 | 11 | 2 |
| 2008 | 8 | 1 |
| 2009 | 9 | 4 |
| 2010 | 7 | 1 |
| 2011 | 8 | 1 |
| Total | 100 | 14 |
Source:[21]
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