Christian Wilhelmsson

Christian Ulf Wilhelmsson (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈkrɪ̌sːtɪjan ˈvɪ̂lː(h)ɛ(l)mˌsɔn]; born 8 December 1979), nicknamed Chippen, is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a winger. Beginning his career with Mjällby AIF, he went on to represent clubs in Norway, Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, England, Saudi Arabia, the United States, and Qatar before returning to Mjällby and Swedish football in 2014. Wilhelmsson won 79 caps for the Sweden national team, representing the nation at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and in three European Championships.

Christian Wilhelmsson
Wilhelmsson playing for Sweden at Euro 2012
Personal information
Full name Christian Ulf Wilhelmsson
Date of birth (1979-12-08) 8 December 1979
Place of birth Malmö, Sweden
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Winger
Youth career
1988–1997 Mjällby AIF
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–1999 Mjällby AIF 52 (11)
2000–2003 Stabæk 84 (25)
2003–2006 Anderlecht 90 (13)
2006–2008 Nantes 13 (0)
2007 → Roma (loan) 19 (1)
2007–2008 → Bolton Wanderers (loan) 8 (0)
2008 → Deportivo La Coruña (loan) 15 (1)
2008–2012 Al-Hilal 69 (24)
2011–2012 → Al Ahli (loan) 11 (0)
2012 LA Galaxy 5 (1)
2013–2014 Baniyas 8 (3)
2014 Mjällby AIF 12 (5)
2015 Mjällby AIF 3 (1)
2018 Torsby IF 1 (1)
Total 390 (86)
National team
2000–2001 Sweden U21 16 (2)
2001–2012 Sweden 79 (9)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Early years and Anderlecht

Born in Malmö, Wilhelmsson started his career with Mjällby AIF in 1997, playing in three second division seasons with the club. He then spent as many years in neighbouring Norway with Stabæk Fotball.

In the 2003 summer Wilhelmsson joined R.S.C. Anderlecht in Belgium, being an undisputed starter during his spell and scoring nine top division goals combined in the capital side's 2004 and 2006 league conquests.

Nantes and loans

In 2006, Wilhelmsson moved to French team FC Nantes. However, on 10 January of the following year, he joined A.S. Roma on loan until the end of the season, when the Italians had the option to buy for €3 million. He made his Serie A debut on 14 January against FC Messina,[1]

He returned to Nantes, immediately starting seeking a new club following the Canaries' relegation from Ligue 1.[2] Following speculation about a move to various Premier League clubs or Scottish club Celtic,[3][4] he signed for Bolton Wanderers on a 12-month loan, with an option to make the deal permanent after 20 games.[5]

He made 13 appearances all competitions comprised, mostly as a substitute, his debut coming in a 1–3 away defeat against Portsmouth –[6] Wilhelmsson was instrumental in closing the club's signing of countryman Johan Elmander for a record transfer fee, for 2008–09.

He was again loaned by Nantes, this time moving to Spain and Deportivo de La Coruña on 30 January 2008. He played his first La Liga match against Getafe CF, coming on as a substitute in a 1–1 home draw, and made his first start two rounds later, in a home fixture match against RCD Espanyol (2–0 home win).[7]

Wilhelmsson scored his first goal for Depor on 1 March 2008, in a 2–1 home win against Sevilla FC,[8] and finished the campaign firmly established in the side's starting XI – he would start in 13 of his league appearances – as the Galicians eventually finished ninth and qualified to the UEFA Intertoto Cup.

Saudi Arabia

In 2008, Wilhelmsson signed a three-year contract with Saudi club Al-Hilal FC for about €9 million. He helped the club win the league title in his second year, scoring nine goals and making ten assists in 20 appearances; for his contributions he received the Player of the Season award, going on to win four additional major titles during his tenure, including two consecutive Saudi Crown Prince Cup where he scored in both finals.

Wilhelmsson spent the first half of 2011–12 on loan with Qatar's Al Ahli SC.[9]

Wilhelmsson playing for Al Ahli in 2011.

LA Galaxy

Wilhelmsson was announced as a LA Galaxy player on 5 September 2012.[10] He scored in his Major League Soccer debut nine days later, in a 2–0 win against the Colorado Rapids.

Baniyas and Mjällby

On 14 January 2013, Wilhelmsson signed a one-and-a-half-year deal with Baniyas SC. After a spell with former club Mjällby, the 35-year-old officially announced his retirement.[11] However, in August 2015, he came out of retirement to help the latter team retain their status in the Superettan,[12] which was eventually not achieved.

International career

Gaining his first cap in 2001, Wilhelmsson represented Sweden at UEFA Euro 2004, Euro 2008, Euro 2012 and the 2006 FIFA World Cup, featuring in every one of the national team's four games in the latter tournament and starting in two.

On 4 September 2006 he was one of three international players sent home for breaking a curfew during a night out, the other two being Olof Mellberg and Zlatan Ibrahimović.[13] In March 2011, he was involved in a training ground scuffle with the latter.[14]

Wilhelmsson scored his first brace for Sweden in a Euro 2012 qualifier against San Marino on 6 September 2011 (5–0 away win), for his seventh and eighth international goals.[15] He was also selected for the finals in Poland and Ukraine by manager Erik Hamren, collecting three bench appearances in an eventual group stage exit.

Personal life

Wilhelmsson married Russian-born model Oksana Andersson in May 2010, in Las Vegas.[16] Aside from Swedish, he also speaks fluent English.

Career statistics

Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[17]
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Mjällby 1997 Division 1 Södra 6000––60
1998 21400––214
1999 25700––257
Total 521100––5211
Stabæk 2000 Tippeligaen 24900––249
2001 25600––256
2002 26600––266
2003 9400––94
Total 842500––8425
Anderlecht 2003–04 Belgian Pro League 27500––275
2004–05 32400––324
2005–06 31500––315
Total 901400––9014
Nantes 2006–07 Ligue 1 1300000–130
Roma (loan) 2006–07 Serie A 19100––191
Bolton (loan) 2007–08 Premier League 80101030130
Deportivo (loan) 2007–08 La Liga 151000000151
Al-Hilal 2008–09 Saudi Professional League 18494–40318
2009–10 21983–933815
2010–11 22662–423210
2011–12 8511–42138
Total 69242410–21711441
Al Ahli (loan) 2011–12 Qatar Stars League 11000––110
LA Galaxy 2012 Major League Soccer 510040–91
Baniyas 2013–14 UAE Division One 83–––83
Mjällby 2014 Allsvenskan 125–––125
2015 Superettan 311020–61
Total 1561020–186
Career total 38986261070247446103

International goals
Scores and results list Sweden's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Wilhelmsson goal.
List of international goals scored by Christian Wilhelmsson
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.13 October 2004Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland Iceland4–04–12006 World Cup qualification
2.4 June 2005Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden Malta3–06–02006 World Cup qualification
3.11 October 2006Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland Iceland2–12–1Euro 2008 qualifying
4.13 October 2007Rheinpark, Vaduz, Liechtenstein Liechtenstein2–03–0Euro 2008 qualifying
5.2 June 2010Dinamo Stadium, Minsk, Belarus Belarus1–01–0Friendly
6.2 September 2011Ferenc Puskás, Budapest, Hungary Hungary1–11–2Euro 2012 qualifying
7.6 September 2011Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle, San Marino San Marino2–05–0Euro 2012 qualifying
8.5–0
9.30 May 2012Gamla Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden Iceland3–13–2Friendly

Honours

Club

Anderlecht

Roma

Al-Hilal

Los Angeles Galaxy

Baniyas

International

Sweden

Individual

References
  1. "Tactical Formation". Football-Lineups. Retrieved 18 January 2007.
  2. Kent Hedlundh (2 July 2007). "Wilhemsson looking for switch". Sky Sports.
  3. Graeme Bailey (11 July 2007). "Prem trio battle for winger". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 13 July 2007.
  4. "Celtic monitor winger Wilhelmsson". Vital Football. 8 July 2007. Archived from the original on 14 September 2014. Retrieved 12 July 2007.
  5. "Wilhelmsson completes Bolton move". BBC Sport. 27 July 2007. Retrieved 31 December 2009.
  6. "Portsmouth 3–1 Bolton". BBC Sport. 18 August 2007. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
  7. "Deportivo La Coruña 2–0 Espanyol". ESPN Soccernet. 24 February 2008. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
  8. "Deportivo La Coruña 2–1 Sevilla FC". ESPN Soccernet. 1 March 2008. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
  9. "Ah Ahli sign Swedish international Wilhelmsson". Qatar Football Association. 5 September 2011.
  10. "LA Galaxy sign Swedish international midfielder Christian Wilhelmsson". LA Galaxy. 5 September 2012.
  11. ""Chippen" lägger av med fotbollen: "Det har varit en fantastisk resa"" ["Chippen" retires from football: "It has been a fantastic journey"] (in Swedish). Fotbollskanalen Europa. 11 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  12. ""Chippen" gör comeback" ["Chippen" makes a comeback] (in Swedish). Aftonbladet. 11 August 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  13. Swedish football stars booted out of national squad; The Local, 5 September 2006
  14. Zlatan Ibrahimovic kicks Christian Wilhelmsson during training – Video Archived 21 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine; Total Football Madness, 28 March 2011
  15. Five star Sweden too good for ten-man San Marino; UEFA.com, 6 September 2011
  16. "Chippen Wilhelmsson och Oksana Andersson gifta i Las Vegas" [Chippen Wilhelmsson and Oksana Andersson married in Las Vegas] (in Swedish). Expressen. 25 May 2010. Archived from the original on 20 August 2010. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  17. "C. Wilhelmsson". Soccerway. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
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