Wilhelm Friberg

Wilhelm Friberg ( born July 25, 1865 in Gothenburg, † January 16, 1932 ) was a Swedish football official. He is considered one of the pioneers of Swedish football.

Career

Friberg, who was born the son of a rope -maker, ended as a 15- year-old high school. Then he began as a clerk at the Bohus Mekaniska Verkstad his career, where he worked 44 years.

While visiting the park Heden Gothenburg Friberg became aware of the athletes of the IS Lyckans Soldater who fought out skating competitions on the local terrain gymnastics, skiing and winter. As a result, he showed himself a sports fan and initiated in 1887 the construction of the sports field Balder Hage. In the same year he was involved in the founding of Örgryte IS, whose chairman he was. First, the club business competitions in athletics, tug of war and wrestling, and later came yet added football.

1892 was one of the initiators Friberg a football game between IS Lyckans Soldater and Örgryte IS. Taking place on May 22 duel was the first football game between two Swedish teams according to the rules of association football. Since his club initially found few opposing teams, he decided to further association was founded. In the summer of 1897 he was one of the founding members of Göteborgs FF. While his original club was formed to the national forefront and won eleven national champion until 1913, the foundation also drew from successful and drew twice in the final of the Swedish championship, which, however, both times lost.

By 1910, Friberg was chairman of both clubs before he resigned his office at Göteborgs FF. In parallel, he become involved in the Svenska Fotbollförbundet, which he chaired 1908-1917. Until 1926 he led the fate of Örgryte IS.

In December 1931, Friberg injured in an accident with a cyclist. In the result of an infection he contracted a thrombosis and died in January 1932.