Runar Berg

Runar Berg
Personal information
Date of birth7 October 1970
Place of birthThe Hague, Netherlands
Height1.79 m (5 ft 10 12 in)
Playing positionMidfielder
Youth career
1989Bodø/Glimt
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1989Bodø/Glimt
1990Rosenborg10(0)
1991Tromsø18(2)
1992–1996Bodø/Glimt111(29)
1997–1999Rosenborg69(13)
1999–2001Venezia30(2)
2001→ Lyn (loan)23(3)
2002–2010Bodø/Glimt204(41)
National team
1994–2003Norway5(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Runar Berg (born 7 October 1970) is a retired Norwegian football midfielder. His last club was Bodø/Glimt, and has previously played for Rosenborg, Tromsø, Lyn and Venezia.

Berg is brother of former Bodø/Glimt and Rosenborg player Ørjan Berg, and son of former Bodø/Glimt midfielder and playmaker Harald Berg.

Personal life

Berg was born in Den Haag, the Netherlands, when his father Harald Berg played for Den Haag. He is the brother of footballers Ørjan Berg and Arild Berg,[1] as well as musician Terje Berg. Berg is also the nephew of Norwegian folk-singer Terje Nilsen.

Club career

At the start of his adult football life, Runar Berg played – as his father – at Bodø/Glimt, then playing in the 1st division. The 1988 season Bodø/Glimt got relegated to the 2nd division. Runar Berg was bought by Nils Arne Eggen to Rosenborg to play with his brother Ørjan in the 1989 season.

In 1992, Berg returned to his mother club Bodø/Glimt then again playing in the 1st division. Bodø/Glimt won the first division and gained promotion for the Norwegian top division. In 1997, Berg returned to Rosenborg. In 1999, Berg made a move to Venezia, playing in the Serie A. The club had financial problems, however, and was relegated. Berg moved back to Norway on loan to Lyn, before returning "home" to Bodø/Glimt in 2001. He announced his retirement in September 2010.[2]

Berg is considered a club legend at Bodø/Glimt. In the 2009 season, when the club had financial problems, Berg played for free. Being the best paid player at the club, Berg did not only give up his ~100,000 euro/year salary, but also started a fund-raiser among local businesses to help save the club.[3][4] Berg has also earlier donated money to the club, as well as other sport clubs in the area.[5]

In 2012, Berg made a comeback for local amateur side Junkeren.[6]

International career

Berg made his debut for Norway in a January 1994 friendly match against the United States, coming on as a late substitute for Kjetil Rekdal and earned 5 caps, scoring no goals.[7] His final international match was a November 2003 European Championship qualifying match against Spain, again coming on as a late substitute, for Martin Andresen.

Career statistics

As of 17 May 2013
Season Club Division League Cup Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
1990 Rosenborg Tippeligaen 10000100
1991 Tromsø 18200182
1992 Bodø/Glimt Adeccoligaen 000000
1993 Tippeligaen 2211002211
1994 21500215
1995 24200242
1996 24500245
1997 Rosenborg 25600256
1998 26432274
1999 18340223
1999–2000 Venezia Serie A 28200282
2000–01 Serie B 200020
2001 Lyn Tippeligaen 23320253
2002 Bodø/Glimt 23521256
2003 218532611
2004 20444248
2005 22641267
2006 Adeccoligaen 22820248
2007 29420314
2008 Tippeligaen 25120271
2009 24030270
2010 Adeccoligaen 18500185
Career Total 44584331147895

Honours

References

  1. Aarre, Eivind (13 September 2007). "Her er fotballfedrene" (in Norwegian). Stavanger Aftenblad. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  2. "Runar Berg legger opp" (in Norwegian). Norwegian News Agency. 20 September 2010. Retrieved 20 September 2010.
  3. "Runar spiller gratis for Glimt" (in Norwegian). Avisa Nordland. 27 January 2009. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  4. "The Curious Case of Runar Berg". Nordic Football News. 2 February 2009. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  5. "Berg gir bort 100 000 kroner av lønna" (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. 26 September 2006. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  6. "Gjør comeback" (in Norwegian). Avisa Nordland. 13 March 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  7. Norway – International Players – Landslaget

External links