Andreas Granqvist facts for kids
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Granqvist with Sweden at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Andreas Granqvist | ||
| Date of birth | 16 April 1985 | ||
| Place of birth | Påarp, Sweden | ||
| Height | 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –1999 | Påarps GIF | ||
| 1999–2003 | Helsingborgs IF | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2004–2007 | Helsingborgs IF | 72 | (1) |
| 2007 | → Wigan Athletic (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2007–2008 | Wigan Athletic | 14 | (0) |
| 2008 | → Helsingborgs IF (loan) | 11 | (1) |
| 2008–2011 | Groningen | 96 | (21) |
| 2011–2013 | Genoa | 63 | (2) |
| 2013–2018 | Krasnodar | 134 | (3) |
| 2018–2021 | Helsingborgs IF | 43 | (2) |
| Total | 433 | (30) | |
| International career | |||
| 2004–2006 | Sweden U21 | 26 | (0) |
| 2006–2021 | Sweden | 88 | (9) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Andreas Granqvist (born on April 16, 1985) is a Swedish former professional footballer. He played as a centre-back, which is a player who helps protect the goal.
Andreas started his football journey with Helsingborgs IF in the mid-2000s. He then played for different clubs in England, the Netherlands, Italy, and Russia. He finished his career back at Helsingborg in 2021.
He was also a key player for the Swedish national team from 2006 to 2021. He played in 88 international matches, called "caps." Andreas represented Sweden in four UEFA European Championships and the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He was the captain of the national team from 2016 until 2021.
In 2017, Andreas Granqvist received the Guldbollen award. This award is given to the best Swedish football player of the year.
Contents
Club Football Journey
Andreas Granqvist was born in Påarp, Sweden. He began his football career with his local club, Påarps GIF. Later, he moved to Helsingborgs IF.
Early Career at Helsingborgs IF
Andreas made his first big league appearance in Allsvenskan in 2004. Just two years later, he became the team captain. In 2006, he led Helsingborgs IF to win the Swedish Cup. They beat Gefle IF with a score of 2–0. Famous players like Henrik Larsson were also on that winning team.
Playing in England and the Netherlands
In January 2007, Andreas moved to England to play for Wigan Athletic on a loan. A few months later, in June 2007, he signed a permanent two-year deal with Wigan. However, in March 2008, he returned to Helsingborg on another loan until the English season ended.
On July 9, 2008, Andreas signed a four-year contract with the Dutch club, Groningen. He quickly showed his skills there. On September 13, 2008, he scored a goal after running 65 meters with the ball! He even did this amazing solo run again in another match.
Time in Italy and Russia
In June 2011, Groningen sold Andreas to Genoa, an Italian club. He signed a four-year contract with them.
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On August 16, 2013, Andreas moved from Genoa to Krasnodar, a team in the Russian Premier League. He played many games for Krasnodar and became a very important player for them.
Returning to Helsingborg and Retirement
On January 28, 2018, it was announced that Andreas would return to Helsingborgs IF after the World Cup. He signed a contract to play for 3.5 years. After that, he would become the club's director of sports for three years. He played his last game for Krasnodar on May 13, 2018.
Andreas officially retired from playing football on July 17, 2021. He had played in six different leagues over 17 years as a professional footballer. He said he wanted to keep playing, but his body was tired. He continued to work at Helsingborg IF as the director of sports.
International Football Journey
Andreas Granqvist played for the Swedish national team. In May 2008, he was chosen to be part of Sweden's team for UEFA Euro 2008. He was a substitute in all three of Sweden's games.
Becoming Sweden's Captain
On July 6, 2016, Andreas was named the captain of Sweden by the new manager, Janne Andersson. He took over from the famous player Zlatan Ibrahimović, who retired from the national team after UEFA Euro 2016.
Leading Sweden at the World Cup
In May 2018, Andreas was selected for the 23-man Swedish squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He was the team captain for their first World Cup match against South Korea on June 18, 2018. During the game, he made several long passes that caused problems for the South Korean defenders. In the 65th minute, he scored the only goal of the game from a penalty kick. He was named the Player of the match.
Nine days later, he scored another penalty goal. This was the second goal in a 3–0 win against Mexico. This win meant Sweden moved on to the next round and finished first in their group. Andreas played all 90 minutes in every game. Sweden was eventually knocked out by England in the quarter-finals.
Final International Appearances
In May 2021, Andreas was included in Sweden's team for the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament, which was postponed from 2020. This was a bit surprising because he hadn't played for the national team in almost two years due to injuries. He did not play in any of their games during the tournament. Sweden lost to Ukraine 2-1 in the round of 16.
Personal Life
Andreas Granqvist has a nickname: "Granen". This nickname comes from his last name, Granqvist, which means "spruce twig" in Swedish. "Granen" means "the spruce."
Andreas became a father for the second time on July 6, 2018. His wife, Sofie, gave birth in Helsingborg while he was with the Swedish team at the World Cup in Russia.
Honours and Awards
Andreas Granqvist won several awards and titles during his career:
Helsingborgs IF
- Superettan: 2018
- Svenska Cupen: 2006
Individual Awards
- Guldbollen (Swedish Player of the Year): 2017
- Swedish Defender of the Year: 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018
- FIFA World Cup Fantasy Team: 2018
See also
In Spanish: Andreas Granqvist para niños
