John Carew facts for kids
Carew with Aston Villa in 2008
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | John Alieu Carew | ||
| Date of birth | 5 September 1979 | ||
| Place of birth | Lørenskog, Akershus, Norway | ||
| Height | 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1995–1997 | Lørenskog | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1997–1999 | Vålerenga | 43 | (19) |
| 1999–2000 | Rosenborg | 17 | (19) |
| 2000–2004 | Valencia | 84 | (20) |
| 2003–2004 | → Roma (loan) | 20 | (6) |
| 2004–2005 | Beşiktaş | 24 | (13) |
| 2005–2007 | Lyon | 35 | (9) |
| 2007–2011 | Aston Villa | 113 | (37) |
| 2011 | → Stoke City (loan) | 10 | (1) |
| 2011–2012 | West Ham United | 19 | (2) |
| Total | 365 | (126) | |
| International career | |||
| 1995 | Norway U15 | 7 | (5) |
| 1996 | Norway U16 | 2 | (2) |
| 1996–1997 | Norway U17 | 3 | (1) |
| 1997 | Norway U18 | 5 | (5) |
| 1997–2000 | Norway U21 | 24 | (8) |
| 1998–2011 | Norway | 91 | (24) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
John Alieu Carew (born 5 September 1979) is a Norwegian actor and former professional footballer. He played as a striker, known for his strength and goal-scoring ability. Carew played 91 games for the Norway national team and scored 24 goals.
Contents
Football Career Highlights
Early Club Days
Carew started his football journey at his local club, Lørenskog, in Norway. He was seen as a very talented young player. In 1997, he joined Vålerenga. That same year, his team was promoted to the top league, Tippeligaen, and won the Norwegian Football Cup. During his two years at Vålerenga, he played 58 matches and scored 30 goals.
In the summer of 1999, Carew moved to Rosenborg, one of Norway's most successful football clubs. He quickly became a key player there.
Playing Across Europe
After showing great skill in the Champions League, Carew moved to the Spanish club Valencia in 2000. He helped Valencia win the La Liga title in 2002. He also played in the 2001 UEFA Champions League Final, where Valencia lost on penalties. Carew scored important goals for Valencia, including two goals against Arsenal in a Champions League match in 2003.
He then spent the 2003–04 season on loan at the Italian team Roma, scoring 7 goals in 26 games. In 2004, Carew moved to Turkey to play for Beşiktaş. After one season, he joined Lyon in France in 2005. While playing in Europe, many English clubs wanted to sign him.
Time at Aston Villa
Joining Aston Villa
On 22 January 2007, Carew joined Aston Villa in England. He signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with the Birmingham-based club. Carew was given the number 10 jersey.
He played his first game for Aston Villa against Newcastle United. Just three days later, he scored his first goal for the club in a 1–0 win against West Ham United. His manager, Martin O'Neill, praised his performance.
Key Seasons with Villa
Carew became Aston Villa's main striker. He scored his first goal of the 2007–08 season against Everton. He then scored against Middlesbrough and Blackburn Rovers as Villa climbed the Premiership table. In December, he scored a great goal against Manchester City.
On 9 February, he scored his first hat-trick (three goals in one game) for Aston Villa against Newcastle United in a 4–1 win. He also scored twice against Birmingham City in the local derby, which Villa won 5–1. He finished the 2007–08 season as Villa's top scorer with 13 goals.
In the 2008–09 season, Carew scored his first goal in the Intertoto Cup. He signed a contract extension until 2011. He continued to score important goals in the Premier League and the UEFA Cup. Despite a short injury, he returned to form and scored a fantastic lob-shot volley against Stoke City, which was voted the team's goal of the season. He ended the season with 11 league goals from 25 games.
For the 2009–10 season, Carew sometimes started on the bench due to other strong strikers. However, he still scored important goals as a substitute. On 7 March 2010, he scored another hat-trick in an FA Cup quarter-final against Reading, helping Villa win 4–2. He became the top scorer in the FA Cup that season. He continued to score goals against teams like Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea.
Leaving Aston Villa
In the 2010–11 season, Carew faced injuries and a loss of form. His playing time became less frequent. On 27 May 2011, Aston Villa announced that Carew was leaving the club as his contract ended.
Loan to Stoke City
On 21 January 2011, Carew joined Stoke City on loan until the end of the season. He said he was excited for the new challenge and had turned down other offers. He made his debut for Stoke the next day. He scored his first goal for Stoke in a 3–2 win against Sunderland on 5 February 2011. He also scored in the FA Cup. After his loan, Stoke did not offer him a permanent contract.
West Ham United and Retirement
On 6 August 2011, Carew signed with Football League Championship side West Ham United. He scored his first goal for West Ham on 1 October 2011. In May 2012, Carew was released by West Ham.
In August 2012, he had talks with his old club Vålerenga, but they could not agree on terms. He later tried out for Italian team Internazionale in February 2013 but was not offered a contract. In October 2013, John Carew announced his retirement from football.
International Football Career
John Carew played 91 times for the Norway national team. He scored 24 goals for his country. He was part of Norway's team for the Euro 2000 tournament. He made his first full international appearance on 18 November 1998. He was the first black player to represent Norway in international football.
Acting Career
After his football career, John Carew started acting. In 2014, he starred in his first movie, a Canadian horror film called Dead of Winter. His second film, a Norwegian thriller called Høvdinger, was released in 2015.
In 2018, Carew appeared in the popular Norwegian TV series Heimebane. He played Michael Ellingsen, an older star footballer for a local Norwegian club. In 2019, Carew had a role as a Jungle Warrior Fey in the Disney adventure film Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. He acted alongside famous stars like Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning. In 2023, Carew played a role in the TV series The Playlist, which is about the early days of Spotify.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Note | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Dead of Winter | Robert | Main role | |
| 2015 | Høvdinger | Igor | Main role | |
| 2018–2019 | Heimebane | Michael Ellingsen | TV series, 18 episodes | |
| 2019 | Maleficent: Mistress of Evil | Jungle Warrior Fey | Supporting role | |
| 2022 | Olsenbanden – Siste skrik! | Benny Fransen | Main role | |
| 2022 | The Playlist | Anton | TV miniseries, 1 episode | |
| 2024 | Purk | Marko | TV miniseries, 1 episode | |
| 2024 | Young Woman and the Sea | English Channel Swimmer #2 | Supporting role |
Personal Life and Interests
Carew was born in Lørenskog, Norway. His father is from The Gambia, and his mother is Norwegian. John Carew has a son, born in 2004.
He is known for being a practicing Christian. He often gives money to charities. He also supports organizations like Soccer Against Crime, MOT, and Ungdom mot Vold (Youth Against Violence). He won the Kniksen award as Kniksen of the Year in 2005, 2007, and 2008. While at Aston Villa, he visited children in hospitals in Birmingham.
John Carew's sister, Elisabeth Carew, is an R&B singer.
Career Statistics
Club Appearances
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Vålerenga | 1997 | Norwegian First Division | 10 | 5 | 4 | 5 | — | — | — | 14 | 10 | |||
| 1998 | Tippeligaen | 18 | 7 | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 3 | — | 22 | 10 | |||
| 1999 | Tippeligaen | 15 | 7 | 3 | 1 | — | 4 | 2 | — | 22 | 10 | |||
| Total | 43 | 19 | 7 | 6 | – | 8 | 5 | — | 58 | 30 | ||||
| Rosenborg | 1999 | Tippeligaen | 7 | 10 | 2 | 0 | — | 8 | 4 | — | 17 | 14 | ||
| 2000 | Tippeligaen | 10 | 9 | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 1 | — | 14 | 10 | |||
| Total | 17 | 19 | 2 | 0 | – | 12 | 5 | — | 31 | 24 | ||||
| Valencia | 2000–01 | La Liga | 37 | 11 | 2 | 0 | — | 18 | 3 | — | 57 | 14 | ||
| 2001–02 | La Liga | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | — | 24 | 1 | |||
| 2002–03 | La Liga | 32 | 8 | 1 | 0 | — | 13 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 13 | ||
| Total | 84 | 20 | 4 | 0 | — | 39 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 128 | 28 | |||
| Roma (loan) | 2003–04 | Serie A | 20 | 6 | 3 | 1 | — | 6 | 1 | — | 29 | 8 | ||
| Beşiktaş | 2004–05 | Süper Lig | 24 | 13 | 1 | 0 | — | 3 | 1 | — | 28 | 14 | ||
| Lyon | 2005–06 | Ligue 1 | 26 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 40 | 15 |
| 2006–07 | Ligue 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 2 | |
| Total | 35 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 53 | 17 | ||
| Aston Villa | 2006–07 | Premier League | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 3 | ||
| 2007–08 | Premier League | 32 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 13 | |||
| 2008–09 | Premier League | 27 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | — | 34 | 15 | ||
| 2009–10 | Premier League | 33 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 42 | 17 | ||
| 2010–11 | Premier League | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | ||
| Total | 113 | 37 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 4 | — | 131 | 48 | |||
| Stoke City (loan) | 2010–11 | Premier League | 10 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 2 | ||
| West Ham United | 2011–12 | Championship | 19 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 2 | ||
| Career total | 365 | 126 | 31 | 15 | 8 | 0 | 85 | 29 | 3 | 3 | 492 | 173 | ||
International Appearances
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norway | 1998 | 1 | 0 |
| 1999 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2000 | 11 | 2 | |
| 2001 | 9 | 6 | |
| 2002 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2003 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 7 | 2 | |
| 2005 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2006 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2007 | 10 | 6 | |
| 2008 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2009 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2010 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2011 | 5 | 1 | |
| Total | 91 | 24 | |
- Scores and results list Norway's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Carew goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 January 1999 | Umm al-Fahm, Israel |  Estonia |
3–3 | Friendly | |
| 2 | 4 February 2000 | La Manga, Spain |  Sweden |
1–1 | Friendly | |
| 3 | 3 June 2000 | Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway |  Italy |
1–0 | Friendly | |
| 4 | 28 February 2001 | Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland |  Northern Ireland |
4–0 | Friendly | |
| 5 | 24 March 2001 | Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway |  Poland |
2–3 | World Cup 2002 Qualifier | |
| 6 | 6 June 2001 | Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway |  Belarus |
1–1 | World Cup 2002 Qualifier | |
| 7 | 5 September 2001 | Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway |  Wales |
3–2 | World Cup 2002 Qualifier | |
| 8 | 6 October 2001 | Yerevan, Armenia |  Armenia |
4–1 | World Cup 2002 Qualifier | |
| 9 | ||||||
| 10 | 7 September 2002 | Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway |  Denmark |
2–2 | Euro 2004 Qualifier | |
| 11 | 4 September 2004 | Palermo, Italy | Italy |
1–2 | World Cup 2006 Qualifier | |
| 12 | 13 October 2004 | Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway |  Slovenia |
3–0 | World Cup 2006 Qualifier | |
| 13 | 3 September 2005 | Celje, Slovenia | Slovenia |
3–2 | World Cup 2006 Qualifier | |
| 14 | 15 November 2006 | Belgrade, Serbia |  Serbia |
1–1 | Friendly | |
| 15 | 24 March 2007 | Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway |  Bosnia and Herzegovina |
1–2 | Euro 2008 Qualifier | |
| 16 | 6 June 2007 | Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway |  Hungary |
4–0 | Euro 2008 Qualifier | |
| 17 | ||||||
| 18 | 22 August 2007 | Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway |  Argentina |
2–1 | Friendly | |
| 19 | ||||||
| 20 | 12 September 2007 | Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway |  Greece |
2–2 | Euro 2008 Qualifier | |
| 21 | 26 March 2008 | Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro |  Montenegro |
1–3 | Friendly | |
| 22 | 14 November 2009 | Stade de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland |  Switzerland |
1–0 | Friendly | |
| 23 | 8 October 2010 | Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium, Larnaca, Cyprus |  Cyprus |
2–1 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying | |
| 24 | 11 October 2011 | Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway | Cyprus |
3–1 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |
Awards and Achievements
Vålerenga
- Norwegian Cup: 1997
Valencia
- La Liga: 2001–02
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2000–01
Lyon
- Ligue 1: 2005–06
- Trophée des Champions: 2005, 2006
Aston Villa
- Football League Cup runner-up: 2009–10
Stoke City
- FA Cup runner-up: 2010–11
West Ham United
- Football League Championship play-offs: 2012
Individual
- Kniksen of the Year: 2005, 2007, 2008
Images for kids
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Carew at an open-training session at Villa Park with teammate Nigel Reo-Coker
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Carew warming-up for West Ham United
See also
In Spanish: John Carew para niños
