Biography of Fredrik Ljungberg:
A Swedish international whose precisely-timed runs from wide positions into the penalty area and plentiful supply of goals mark him out as one of Europe's most watchable midfield players.
National team
A regular for Sweden since his first outing against the United States in January 1998, Fredrik Ljungberg featured in three games at UEFA EURO 2000™ but was prevented from impressing at the 2002 FIFA World Cup by a hip injury. He was among the stars of UEFA EURO 2004™, playing every minute of Sweden's run to the quarter-finals and scoring in the 5-0 win against Bulgaria.
Club
Ljungberg joined his hometown club Halmstads BK as a teenager in 1994 and over the next four seasons proved himself a highly versatile and tenacious performer, helping the club to the Swedish Cup in 1995 and their first Allsvenskan title two years later.
1998: His talent and boundless enthusiasm won him a €4.8m move to Highbury. Ljungberg made an immediate impact, scoring on his debut, just four minutes and 42 seconds after coming on as a substitute against Manchester United FC in September 1998. A regular in the team and on the scoresheet in the ensuing seasons, Ljungberg was pivotal as Arsenal won the Premiership and the FA Cup in 2001/02 and brought down the curtain on a memorable campaign with a goal of outstanding quality in the 2-0 FA Cup final victory against Chelsea FC.
2003: He could not become the first player to score in three successive FA Cup finals the following season, but was consoled with another winners' medal. He played 30 times as Arsenal won the Premiership title without losing a game in 2003/04.
2004/05: Ljungberg scored ten league goals but a migraine and a hip injury restricted his appearances. He recovered from the latter to feature among the substitutes in Arsenal's FA Cup final victory against Manchester United FC, and held his nerve to score in the penalty shoot-out triumph.
Did you know?
Ljungberg was voted best-dressed man in Sweden in 2002.
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BioData
Full name: Karl Fredrik Ljungberg
Nickname: "Freddie"
Position: Midfielder
Born: 16 April 1977, Vittsjö, SWEDEN
Height: 5'9.
Weight: 11st 6lbs.
Club: Arsenal FC
