Johan Elmander facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Johan Elmander

Elmander playing for Galatasaray in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Johan Erik Calvin Elmander
Date of birth	(1981-05-27) 27 May 1981 (age 44)
Place of birth	Alingsås, Sweden
Height	1.88 m
Playing position	Striker
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1997–1998	Holmalunds IF	23	(5)
1999–2000	Örgryte IS	39	(4)
2000–2004	Feyenoord	39	(3)
2002–2003	→ Djurgårdens IF (loan)	19	(12)
2003–2004	→ NAC Breda (loan)	31	(7)
2004–2006	Brøndby IF	58	(22)
2006–2008	Toulouse	64	(22)
2008–2011	Bolton Wanderers	92	(18)
2011–2014	Galatasaray	52	(16)
2013–2014	→ Norwich City (loan)	28	(1)
2014–2016	Brøndby IF	48	(6)
2017	Örgryte IS	23	(4)
Total		490	(116)
National team
1997–1998	Sweden U16	27	(3)
1999	Sweden U18	7	(1)
2000–2004	Sweden U21	30	(12)
2002–2015	Sweden	85	(20)
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Johan Erik Calvin Elmander (born on May 27, 1981) is a former Swedish professional footballer. He played as a striker. Johan started his career in Sweden in the late 1990s. He then played for teams in the Netherlands, Denmark, France, England, and Turkey. He retired from playing in 2017.

From 2002 to 2015, Johan played for the Swedish national team. He scored 20 goals in 85 games. He also represented Sweden in big tournaments like the 2006 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2008, and UEFA Euro 2012.

In 2011, Johan scored an amazing goal for Bolton Wanderers. It was against Wolverhampton Wanderers during the 2010–11 season. This goal was later voted the greatest Premier League goal ever in a poll by The Guardian.

Johan Elmander's Club Career

Starting His Football Journey

Johan Elmander was born in Alingsås, Sweden. He began his football career as a striker for Swedish clubs. These included Holmalunds IF and Örgryte. When he was 18, he moved to the Dutch club Feyenoord. There, he often played as a midfielder.

Even though he wasn't always in the starting team, he helped Feyenoord win the 2002 UEFA Cup Final. They beat Borussia Dortmund 3–2, and Johan came on as a substitute.

Later, Johan went back to Sweden on loan to Djurgården. He helped them win both the Allsvenskan championship and the Swedish Cup in 2002. They also won the Allsvenskan again in 2003. In February 2002, he played his first game for the Swedish national team against Greece. In 2003, he was loaned to another Dutch club, NAC Breda.

Success with Brøndby IF

Elmander's personalized boot at Brøndby

Before the 2004–05 season, Johan joined the Danish club Brøndby. He became a key player for them, helping to create many scoring chances. He played mostly as a forward who could move freely behind the main striker.

In the 2004–05 season, Brøndby won both the Danish Superliga and the Danish Cup. Johan was even voted Brøndby's Player of the Year. During his two seasons at Brøndby, he scored 22 goals in 58 league games. His great performances caught the eye of many clubs in Europe. He was also chosen to play for Sweden in the 2006 World Cup. In July 2006, Johan signed a four-year contract with the French team Toulouse.

Playing for Toulouse

Johan scored 11 goals in his first season with Toulouse. He was even nominated for player of the year by his fellow players. He helped Toulouse finish third in the league, which meant they could try to qualify for the UEFA Champions League. His second season was not as smooth, but he still scored 11 goals.

Time at Bolton Wanderers

On June 27, 2008, Johan moved to the Premier League club Bolton Wanderers. This was a record signing for the club, costing about £8.2 million. He signed a three-year deal and wore the number 9 shirt.

Johan scored his first Premier League goal in his very first game for Bolton. It was a header against Stoke City on August 16, 2008, in a 3–1 win. He played 30 games in the 2008–09 season, scoring five goals.

From December 2008 to September 2009, Johan didn't score any goals for nine months. This "goal drought" ended in a League Cup game against West Ham United. His first league goal in 11 months came in a game against Aston Villa.

Johan found his scoring form again in the 2010–11 season. He scored six goals in the first 13 games, all away from home. His first goals at Bolton's home stadium came against Newcastle United. This made him one of the top scorers in the Premier League at that time. He finished the season with 11 goals in all competitions.

Bolton's manager, Owen Coyle, said in May 2011 that he expected Johan to join Galatasaray. Johan later confirmed he would be leaving Bolton. Overall, he played 92 Premier League games for Bolton, scoring 18 goals.

Moving to Galatasaray

Elmander playing for Galatasaray in September 2011

On May 27, 2011, Johan joined Galatasaray in Turkey. It was his birthday! He signed a three-year deal for free after his contract with Bolton ended. He played his first game for Galatasaray in the second week of the Süper Lig season. He scored his first goal in a 3–1 home win against Samsunspor on September 18.

Because he played so well, Galatasaray's coach changed the team's setup. This allowed Johan to play alongside another striker. He scored important goals in big derby matches against teams like Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe, and Trabzonspor. He scored 12 goals in 36 league games, helping Galatasaray win the league championship.

Johan started the 2012–13 season strong, scoring his first goal in a 3–3 draw with Beşiktaş. He also scored a fantastic goal against Gençlerbirliği in October 2012. In August 2013, he left Galatasaray to join Norwich City in England on a loan.

Loan to Norwich City

Johan returned to England to play for Norwich City for one season. He played his first game for Norwich against Hull City. He scored his first two goals for the club in a League Cup match against Bury on August 27, 2013. His first league goal for Norwich came against Southampton in March 2014. Even though he didn't score many goals, fans liked his hard work and effort on the field.

Back to Brøndby and Retirement

On June 24, 2014, Johan returned to Brøndby in Denmark. He signed a two-year contract for free after his deal with Galatasaray ended. He wore the number 11 shirt again.

Johan spent his last season as a professional footballer at Örgryte, the club where he played early in his career. He scored 5 goals in 25 games before retiring in 2017.

Johan Elmander's International Career

Johan Elmander played for the Swedish national team in several major tournaments. These included the 2006 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2008, and UEFA Euro 2012. He played 85 games for Sweden and scored 20 goals. He retired from playing for the national team in November 2015.

Johan Elmander's Personal Life

Johan Elmander has two brothers, Peter and Patrik, who were also professional footballers.

Johan married his high school sweetheart, Amanda Calvin, on December 27, 2007. Their wedding was a big event in Amanda's hometown of Hemsjö, Sweden, with over 200 guests. In August 2008, Johan and Amanda welcomed their first child. On November 18, 2010, they announced the birth of their daughter, Lily.

Career Statistics Summary

Club Appearances and Goals

International Appearances and Goals

Honours and Awards

Johan Elmander won many trophies and awards during his career:

Feyenoord

• UEFA Cup: 2001–02

Djurgården

• Allsvenskan (Swedish League): 2002, 2003
• Svenska Cupen (Swedish Cup): 2002

Brøndby

• Danish Superliga (Danish League): 2004–05
• Danish Cup: 2004–05

Galatasaray

• Süper Lig (Turkish League): 2011–12, 2012–13
• Turkish Super Cup: 2012

Individual Awards

• UNFP Player of the Month (France): February 2007
• Premier League Player of the Month (England): November 2010

Images for kids

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  Elmander playing for Galatasaray in 2012

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  Elmander's personalized boot at Brøndby

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  Elmander playing for Galatasaray in September 2011

See also

In Spanish: Johan Elmander para niños