Gunnar Gren

Gunnar Gren (right) is from the German Captain Hans Schäfer on the international game greeted at November 20, 1957

Johan Gunnar Gren ( born October 31, 1920 in Gårda in Gothenburg, † November 10, 1991 in Gothenburg ) was a Swedish football player.

The striker is regarded as an icon of Swedish football.

Career

The midfielder Gunnar Gren first played during small club Gothenburg Gårda. Even at this rather insignificant club he made at the age of 19 years, his first international match for the Swedish national football team. In 1941, he joined IFK Göteborg and a year later was the first time Swedish champion. He celebrated his first international success in 1948 by winning the gold medal at the Summer Olympics in London. Gren scored two goals in the 3-1 final win against Yugoslavia.

1949 Gren joined together with his team-mate Nils Liedholm and Gunnar Nordahl to Italy for AC Milan. The three Swedish players a trio that under the name of Gre -No- Li was announced at the beginning of the 1950s and advanced to similar Superstars in Milan as in the 1980s, the Dutch three - axis Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten. 1953 Gren moved to Fiorentina and after one season at Genoa in 1956 back to Sweden.

At the age of 37 years Gunnar Gren first participated at a World Cup. At the successful FIFA World Cup 1950 in Brazil ( Sweden reached the final round and finished third ) was not allowed to participate Gren, since Sweden only allowed amateurs in the national team and Gren already played in Italy as a professional. With the Football World Cup 1958 in their own country the veteran was vice-champion. In the semi-final against defending champions Germany he scored the goal to make it 2-1. The decision was made in the second half after Erich Juskowiak had been sent off and to the day brunette Fritz Walter had been injured. Kurt Hamrin scored the all-important 3:1 for Sweden.

After this tournament Gunnar Gren ended his active career and became a coach in Sweden. Juventus took him in the 1960s as a Technical Director. 1970 Gren withdrew into private life.

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