Erik Friberg (footballer)

This article is about the footballer. For poker player, see Erik Friberg (poker player).
Erik Friberg

Friberg with the Seattle Sounders in 2011
Personal information
Full nameJohn Erik Gunnar Friberg
Date of birth10 February 1986
Place of birthLindome, Sweden
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing positionMidfielder
Club information
Current team
Esbjerg fB
Number18
Youth career
2003–2004Västra Frölunda IF
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2005–2006Västra Frölunda IF32(3)
2007–2010BK Häcken94(5)
2011Seattle Sounders FC26(1)
2012–2013Malmö FF51(6)
2014Bologna7(0)
2015-Esbjerg fB6(1)
National team
2012Sweden2(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 29 April 2015.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 23 January 2012

Erik Friberg (born 10 February 1986 in Lindome) is a Swedish footballer who currently plays for Esbjerg fB.

Career

Club career

Early career

Friberg began his career with Västra Frölunda IF before moving to BK Häcken in January 2007. He made his UEFA Europa League debut on 2 August 2007 against KR Reykjavíkur. The game ended 0–1 for Häcken.[1] He played 20 minutes in two games against Spartak Moscow during the first round of the UEFA Cup.[2]

Seattle Sounders

On 16 December 2010, it was announced that Friberg had signed a deal with Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer.[3] He made his debut for the Sounders in their opening game of the 2011 MLS season against Los Angeles Galaxy.

Malmö FF

On 12 December 2011, Seattle Sounders confirmed that Friberg would move to Malmö FF for the 2012 season.[4] Malmö FF announced the day after that Friberg had signed a contract until the end of the 2014 season. He joined Malmö FF when the transfer window opened on 1 January 2012.[5] Friberg was applauded by media for his play during the 2012 pre-season.[6] Friberg later played 24 out of 30 matches during his first season at the club.

For the club's league title winning 2013 season Friberg played 27 matches and scored 6 goals. He also played all six matches of the club's participation in the qualifying stages for the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League. During the season Friberg earned the nickname Mr. 100% after scoring six goals in six shots on goal during the entire season.[7] His most important goal of the season was when he scored the only goal of the game at home against Mjällby AIF in the 26th round of the league with just a couple of minutes to go of the game.

Bologna

On 30 January 2014, Friberg signed with Italian Serie A club Bologna.[8]

International career

Friberg was selected for the annual training camp for the Sweden national team in January 2012 after Malmö team-mates Mathias Ranégie and Ivo Pękalski had to withdraw from the squad. The squad selection for the camp traditionally feature the best Swedish players in domestic and other Scandinavian leagues.[9] He made his debut for Sweden in the training match against Bahrain on 18 January 2012.[10]

Career statistics

Club

As of 3 November 2013.[11]
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
BK Häcken 2007 14030170
2008 252252
2009 28330313
2010 27020290
Total 94550301025
Seattle Sounders FC 2011 2612040341
Total 2612040341
Malmö FF 2012 24000240
2013 2764060376
Total 5164060616
Bologna 2013–14 000000
Total 00000000
Career total 1711211013019512

International

As of 18 January 2012.[11]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Sweden 201220
Total20

Honours

Club

Malmö FF
Seattle Sounders FC

References

  1. UEFA.com Erik Friberg
  2. Erik Friberg-Europa League
  3. Signing of midfielder Erik Friberg finally made official
  4. Friberg transferred to Sweden's Malmö
  5. "Malmö FF värvar Erik Friberg från Seattle Sounders" (in Swedish). mff.se. 13 December 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
  6. "MFF:s Friberg kan bli årets kap". sydsvenskan.se. Sydsvenskan. 17 February 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  7. "Årets: Året i bilder, guldhalvåret". svenskafans.com (in Swedish). Svenska Fans. 2 December 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  8. "Erik Friberg lämnar Malmö FF". mff.se (in Swedish). Malmö FF. 30 January 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  9. "Landslaget blir himmelsblågult: "Vi är stolta"" (in Swedish). Fotbollskanalen. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
  10. "Herr: 2–0 mot Bahrain i Doha" (in Swedish). svenskfotboll.se. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  11. 11.0 11.1 "Erik Friberg". soccerway.com (in Swedish). Soccerway. Retrieved 13 January 2013.

External links