Pär Zetterberg

Zetterberg during training

Pär Zetterberg ( born October 14, 1970 in Falkenberg ) is a former Swedish football player. The midfielder, who ran aground in the 1990s for the Swedish national team in 30 international appearances, contested his career almost exclusively outside of his home country. During his time in Belgium, he was twice awarded the Belgium Player of the year, 1997, he received the award in parallel as Sweden's Footballer of the Year. Participation in a major tournament was him who put together nine times won the national championship in Belgium and Greece, however, denied.

Career

Club career

Career Start and breakthrough RSC Charleroi

Zetterberg started in 1978 with the football games at Falkenberg FF. In 1986, he debuted in their teens for the competition team of the club for which he played seven competitive games. In January of the following year, he joined as a junior player for Belgian club RSC Anderlecht. There, at first exclusively in the youth teams active, he moved in 1989 under coach Aad de Mos here on the competition team. However, it was initially denied the breakthrough, after his debut against Germinal Ekeren in October 1990 stood until the summer of 1991, only two League bets to book. He therefore closed in 1991 on loan to league rivals Sporting Charleroi. There he established himself with 29 league stakes as a regular player and was in his first season, when the club finished in 13th place in the championship, with five goals this season on par with Dante Brogno already the second best club internal scorer. Only Marc Wuyts had been successful with seven goals. Under the new coach Robert Waseige he developed in the following season to the " little prince of Mambourg " ( petit prince du Mambourg ) when he won the the club - reached the final of the National Cup - ultimately against Standard Liege lost. He also played himself in the national team. In the 1-0 win over Austria in May 1993 with a goal of Jan is under contract with 1.FC Kaiserslautern Eriksson as part of the qualification for the World Cup 1994, he made ​​his debut as a substitute for Johnny Ekström in the national jersey. Since the end of the lending club the proposed option could not pull, he returned after the season for RSC Anderlecht and was replaced by Tibor Balog.

Successful year at RSC Anderlecht and Olympiakos Piraeus

When reigning champions RSC Anderlecht Zetterberg was after his return immediately regulars. While he had reached with the club after victories against HJK Helsinki and Sparta Prague in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League 1993/94, he was named Footballer of the Year in Belgium at the end of the year. In January, he was still at winning the Belgian Super Cup with a 3-0 win over Standard Liege to goals from John Bosman and the two -goal Luc Nilis with, but after a serious injury he had to pause in 1994 in the middle of the year. Thus, the club defended the one hand, without his continued support - he was a total of 22 season games - the championship, on the other hand he also missed a part in the World Cup finals in the summer in the United States, of which his countrymen to Tomas Brolin, Thomas Ravelli, Klas Ingesson and Henrik Larsson the best result out playing with the third place since the World Championship at the World Cup tournament in 1958.

After his convalescence he was in season 1994/95, again a regular player and led the club to re- title. After winning the Super Cup with a 2-1 win against FC Bruges, he remained in the following years without winning the title. Although the club was regularly in the front table area, but a renewed Meisterscdhaftsgewinn failed. Even with the national success was missing, neither the European Championship in 1996, nor for the World Cup 1998 qualifying, the Swedish selection. Only the year 1997 brought him a personal success as he scored twelve goals in the 1996/ 97 and again received the Golden Boot for Belgium Player of the year at the end of the year.

In 2000, Zetterberg to Olympiakos Piraeus, before he again signed with RSC Anderlecht in 2003. He finished his career after the 2005/06 season at RSC Anderlecht and has since worked as a talent scout youth.

Pär Zetterberg was elected twice to Belgium's Footballer of the Year and one of Sweden's Footballer of the Year. He was both Belgian and Greek champions and cup winners.

After the football

Zetterberg now plays floorball in the Waterloo Lions, one of the most successful teams in Belgium. 2006 Zetterberg played in Matching, the Swedish edition of " The Match" with.

Awards and achievements

• Belgian champion: 1991, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2004, 2005
• Belgian Cup winner: 1994
• Greek champion: 2001, 2002, 2003
• Greek Cup winner: 2001, 2002
• Belgian Football Player of the Year: 1993, 1997
• Swedish Soccer Player of the Year: 1997
• Belgian Fair Play Cup: 1998, 2000, 2004, 2006