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Claus Lundekvam

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Claus Lundekvam
Personal information
Full name Claus Lundekvam[1]
Date of birth (1973-02-22) 22 February 1973 (age 51)[2]
Place of birth Austevoll, Norway
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[3]
Position(s) Centre-back[4]
Youth career
Selbjørn
Brann
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1993–1996 Brann 53 (0)
1996–2008 Southampton 357 (2)
Total 410 (2)
International career
1994–1995 Norway U21 16 (0)
1995–2005 Norway 40 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Claus Lundekvam (born 22 February 1973) is a Norwegian former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. Lundekvam began his career with Brann before moving to English side Southampton in 1996 where he played until his retirement in 2008. He made a total of 413 appearances for the club, of which 290 were in the Premier League, and was the team's captain for several years.[5][6] He notably played for Southampton in the 2003 FA Cup Final against Arsenal. Lundekvam was capped 40 times for Norway and often captained the national team.

Playing career

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Lundekvam was a junior player for local team Selbjørn in Austevoll before joining Norwegian top flight team Brann, where he made his senior debut in 1993.[7][4] He eventually earned a starting place in the team at centre-back and participated in Brann's UEFA Cup Winners' Cup campaign, before being sold to English side Southampton in July 1996. Lundekvam made his Premier League debut against Nottingham Forest on 4 September and would go on to captain Southampton for several years.[8][6] He scored his first goal in the premiership against Wolverhampton Wanderers on 3 April 2004, and his second goal against Cardiff on 1 April 2006, in the Championship.[9][10] Coincidentally, both teams were managed at the time by former Saints manager Dave Jones.

In 2002–03, he contributed to one of Southampton's most successful seasons in history as they finished eighth in the Premier League and reached the FA Cup final, where they lost 1–0 to Arsenal.[11] The team was managed by Gordon Strachan, who famously joked when Lundekvam was stretchered off injured in a game against Leicester City in the 2003–04 season that he "didn't have a clue" whether the player was unconscious as "that's what he's always like".[12]

Lundekvam remained at Southampton after their relegation from the Premier League in 2005. He went off injured after five minutes of the first game of the 2006–07 season, away to Derby County on 6 August 2006, and missed the first two months of the season. He then had a long run in the team before another injury in March put him out for another month. In a game at St Mary's against Southend United on 6 May 2007, Lundekvam fell awkwardly and sustained a serious ankle injury that put him out of action.[13] On 18 March 2008, it was announced that his injury was to the extent that his playing career was over.[14] Southampton rewarded Lundekvam for his service to the club that had included over 400 appearances with a testimonial match against Celtic, managed by Gordon Strachan, at St Mary's on 18 July 2008.[15] Curiously, Lundekvam had to pay the expenses of his own testimonial match, due to the St Mary's lawn being damaged following a Bon Jovi concert the week before, but the fan turnout allowed him to recoup his budget.[16]

International career

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Lundekvam made his international debut for the Norwegian U21 team in 1994 and his senior debut for the Norwegian national team in November 1995.[17] His first international goal, against Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2002, was the 1,000th goal in the history of the Norwegian national team.[18] Lundekvam was capped 40 times for the national team, often as captain, and scored two goals.[17]

Later career

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Following his retirement, Lundekvam continued residing in Southampton before returning to Norway with his family. Lundekvam would later reveal that he had problems with depression, drugs and alcohol after his playing career.[19] About his addiction he said: "I would drink two litres of hard liquor and do between five and ten grams of cocaine every day."[12] Lundekvam got help to overcome his addiction and issues at Sporting Chance Clinic, a recovery facility for athletes set up by former Arsenal captain Tony Adams.[19]

In July 2012, Lundekvam claimed that he, team-mates and opposing captains were involved in betting fraud during their playing days, stating that: "We could make deals with the opposing captain about, for example, betting on the first throw, the first corner, who started with the ball, a yellow card or a penalty. Those were the sorts of thing we had influence over."[20] The allegations were later denied by Lundekvam's former team-mate and captain Francis Benali.[21] In 2015, he released his autobiography detailing his career and struggles with addiction and mental health.[22] Lundekvam worked regularly as a pundit for TV 2, the largest commercial broadcaster in Norway, until 2016.[12][23] Lundekvam now works with the Psychiatry Alliance in Bergen to help others with mental health and drug issues by sharing his own experiences.[19]

Career statistics

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Club

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[24][25]
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Brann 1993 Tippeligaen 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
1994 Tippeligaen 20 0 4 0 — 0 0 20 0
1995 Tippeligaen 14 0 7 0 — 0 0 16 0
1996 Tippeligaen 16 0 4 2 — 2[a] 0 18 0
Total 53 0 15 2 0 0 2 0 70 2
Southampton 1996-97 Premier League 29 0 1 0 8 0 — 29 0
1997-98 Premier League 31 0 0 0 4 0 — 33 0
1998-99 Premier League 33 0 2 0 2 0 — 37 0
1999-2000 Premier League 27 0 2 0 4 0 — 32 0
2000-01 Premier League 38 0 4 0 3 0 — 43 0
2001-02 Premier League 34 0 1 0 2 0 — 37 0
2002-03 Premier League 33 0 6 0 2 0 — 41 0
2003-04 Premier League 31 1 1 0 2 0 2[b] 0 36 1
2004-05 Premier League 34 0 4 0 3 0 — 41 0
2005-06 Championship 34 1 3 0 0 0 — 37 1
2006-07 Championship 33 0 0 0 0 0 — 33 0
Total 357 2 24 0 30 0 2 0 413 2
Career total 410 2 39 0 30 0 4 0 483 4
  1. ^ Appearances in UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
  2. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League

International

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Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Norway 1995 2 0
1996 2 0
1998 1 0
1999 2 0
2000 1 0
2001 3 0
2002 5 1
2003 9 0
2004 8 0
2005 6 1
Total 40 2

Honours

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Brann

Southampton

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Claus Lundekvam" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Football Federation. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  2. ^ "Claus Lundekvam: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  3. ^ Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (1997). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1997–98 (28th ed.). London: Headline Publishing Group. p. 510. ISBN 9780747277385. OCLC 1194925023.
  4. ^ a b "Claus Lundekvam". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Claus Lundekvam". SaintsPlayers.co.uk. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  6. ^ a b Cole, Sean (10 December 2020). "The Premier League captain whose life fell apart". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  7. ^ Kolstad, Jan Gunnar (29 March 2003). "Claus tilbake på gamle tomter". Bergensavisen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  8. ^ Ellingsen, Roy (23 January 2005). "Typisk Southampton på Claus sin dag". www.aftenposten.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  9. ^ "Wolves 1–4 Southampton". BBC Sport. 3 April 2004. Retrieved 21 February 2008.
  10. ^ "Southampton 3–2 Cardiff". BBC Sport. 1 April 2006. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
  11. ^ Miller, Mike (28 March 2014). "Southampton's 5 Greatest Managers of the Modern Era". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  12. ^ a b c "Claus Lundekvam: I was threatening people with a huge kitchen knife". The Guardian. 26 March 2014. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
  13. ^ "Southampton 4–1 Southend". BBC Sport. 6 May 2007. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
  14. ^ "Claus set to quit". www.saintsfc.co.uk. 18 March 2008. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
  15. ^ "Saints 0 Celtic 2 - Claus Lundekvam testimonial". Daily Echo. 18 July 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  16. ^ "Which is the least successful testimonial match ever?". The Guardian. 22 June 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  17. ^ a b Fotballforbund, Norges. "Claus Lundekvam - Profil". fotball.no - Norges Fotballforbund (in Norwegian). Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  18. ^ "Claus claims a Premier record". Daily Echo. 25 January 2005. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  19. ^ a b c "The Premier League captain whose life fell apart". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  20. ^ Jackson, Jamie (11 July 2012). "Fifa to investigate Claus Lundekvam's claim of Southampton spot-fixing". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  21. ^ "Francis Benali denies Claus Lundekvam spot-fixing claim". BBC Sport. 11 July 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  22. ^ "Lundekvam i ny bok: "Alkoholiker. Narkoman. Sexavhengig."". www.vg.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). 27 August 2015. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  23. ^ "Lundekvam er ferdig i TV 2 og har fått sparken som trener". www.aftenposten.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). 21 January 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  24. ^ "Claus Lundekvam career appearances". soccerbase. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  25. ^ "Claus Lundekvam". historie.brann.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  26. ^ "Norwegian cup 1995". www.rsssf.no. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  27. ^ "Arsenal retain FA Cup". BBC Sport. 17 May 2003. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  28. ^ "Previous winners of the Daily Echo Southampton FC Player of the Season Award". Daily Echo. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
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