Martin Olsson facts for kids
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Olsson playing for Sweden at UEFA Euro 2012
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Martin Tony Waikwa Olsson | ||
| Date of birth | 17 May 1988 | ||
| Place of birth | Gävle, Sweden | ||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Left back | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Malmö FF | ||
| Number | 13 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2005–2006 | Högaborgs BK | ||
| 2006–2007 | Blackburn Rovers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2007–2013 | Blackburn Rovers | 117 | (3) |
| 2013–2017 | Norwich City | 119 | (3) |
| 2017–2019 | Swansea City | 68 | (2) |
| 2020 | Helsingborgs IF | 25 | (0) |
| 2021 | BK Häcken | 10 | (1) |
| 2021– | Malmö FF | 64 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2006–2007 | Sweden U19 | 13 | (1) |
| 2007–2010 | Sweden U21 | 23 | (1) |
| 2010–2023 | Sweden | 56 | (5) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 November 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 00:01, 23 June 2023 (UTC) |
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Martin Tony Waikwa Olsson (born on May 17, 1988) is a Swedish professional footballer. He plays as a left back for Malmö FF and the Sweden national team.
Olsson started his career with Högaborgs BK in Sweden. In January 2006, he joined Blackburn Rovers in England. Later, in 2013, he moved to Premier League team Norwich City. In January 2017, he joined Swansea City. After that, he returned to Sweden. He played for Helsingborgs IF and BK Häcken. Since 2021, he has been playing for Malmö FF.
Martin Olsson has also played for the Swedish national team since 2010. He has played in major tournaments like UEFA Euro 2012, 2016, and the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He has played more than 50 games for his country.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting at Blackburn Rovers
Martin Olsson began his football journey in Sweden with Högaborgs BK. This is the same club where famous player Henrik Larsson started. Martin was part of the youth teams there in 2005 and 2006. His skills caught the eye of big European clubs. In January 2006, Blackburn Rovers, a team in the Premier League, signed him for their youth academy.
He made his first appearance for Blackburn in a UEFA Cup game during the 2007–08 season. He came on as a substitute late in the game. His first Premier League game was on December 30, 2007, against Derby County. Blackburn won that match 2–1. For his great performance, he was named Blackburn's Young Player of the Year for the 2007–08 season.
In May 2008, Olsson signed a new contract with Blackburn. This kept him at the club until June 2012.
First Goals and Key Moments
On September 24, 2008, Martin Olsson scored his first goal for Blackburn. It was the winning goal in a League Cup game against Everton. The score was 1–0. On January 20, 2010, he scored a fantastic overhead kick. This was in a League Cup semi-final against Aston Villa.
He scored his first Premier League goal on February 10, 2010. It was against Hull City in a 1–0 victory. By March 2010, Olsson had played 40 games for Blackburn. In June 2010, he signed another five-year deal. This showed how important he was to the team.
At the start of the 2010–11 season, Olsson was given the number three jersey. He played as a left-winger in the first Premier League match against Everton. He scored his first league goal of that season against Liverpool on January 5, 2011. Blackburn won that game 3–1. On February 12, 2011, he played his 50th Premier League game for the club. He finished the season with 32 appearances and two goals.
Martin Olsson became a very important player for Blackburn. He often played at left back. He even helped Sweden qualify for UEFA Euro 2012. At the end of the 2011–12 season, Blackburn was relegated from the Premier League. Olsson had played 31 games that season.
Moving to Norwich City
On July 10, 2013, Martin Olsson joined Norwich City. They were also a Premier League team. He signed a four-year contract. He scored his first goal for Norwich against Bury in the League Cup on August 27, 2013. He played 37 games in his first season. However, Norwich was relegated from the Premier League.
In the 2014–15 season, Norwich played in the Championship. Olsson was sent off in the first game. After a short suspension, he returned to play against Cardiff City. He scored the first goal in a comeback win, where Norwich won 4–2. He became a regular player, appearing in 42 league matches. Norwich finished third and qualified for the play-offs. Olsson played in all three play-off matches. This included the final at Wembley Stadium against Middlesbrough. Norwich won 2–0 and returned to the Premier League.
In the 2015–16 Premier League season, Olsson played fewer games. He scored a dramatic winning goal on April 2, 2016, against Newcastle United. His long-distance shot gave Norwich a 3–2 win in stoppage time. Despite this, Norwich was relegated again at the end of the season.
For the 2016–17 season, Olsson was a regular player again. He scored another goal for Norwich in a 3–1 win over Burton Albion. His last game for Norwich was a 2–2 draw against Southampton in the FA Cup.
Time at Swansea City
On January 17, 2017, Olsson signed with Swansea City. They were also a Premier League club. He scored his first goal for Swansea on February 12, 2017. It was in a 2–0 victory against Leicester City.
In the 2017–18 season, Olsson played 36 games. However, Swansea was relegated at the end of that season. This was Olsson's fourth relegation from the Premier League. On May 18, 2019, Swansea confirmed that Olsson would leave the club when his contract ended.
Return to Sweden
After leaving Swansea, Olsson returned to Sweden. He signed a one-year contract with Helsingborgs IF for the 2020 Allsvenskan season. He played in 25 league games. Helsingborg was relegated to Superettan that year.
After Helsingborg's relegation, Olsson moved to another Allsvenskan club, BK Häcken. He played 10 games for them during the 2021 season. Then, in August 2021, he was signed by Malmö FF, who were the reigning Swedish champions.
Playing for Malmö FF
Martin Olsson joined Malmö FF on August 12, 2021. He has continued to play for them. In March 2024, he received a five-match suspension from the Swedish Football Association.
International Career
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Martin Olsson played many games for Sweden's under-18 and under-21 national teams.
He was chosen for the senior Swedish national team in May 2010. His first game was against Bosnia and Herzegovina on May 29, 2010. He scored two goals in that match, helping Sweden win 4–2. On September 6, 2011, he made his first start for the national team. He scored Sweden's third goal in a 5–0 victory over San Marino. This was during a qualifying game for UEFA Euro 2012. In May 2012, Olsson was part of the 23-man squad for UEFA Euro 2012.
In May 2018, he was named in Sweden's 23-man squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Personal Life
Martin Olsson was born in Gävle, Sweden. His father is Swedish and his mother is Kenyan. He has a twin brother named Marcus, who is also a professional footballer. Martin's sister, Jessica Olsson, is married to former basketball player Dirk Nowitzki.
Career Statistics
Club Appearances
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Blackburn Rovers | 2007–08 | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 2008–09 | Premier League | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 15 | 1 | ||
| 2009–10 | Premier League | 21 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | 27 | 2 | ||
| 2010–11 | Premier League | 29 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 32 | 2 | ||
| 2011–12 | Premier League | 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 31 | 0 | ||
| 2012–13 | Championship | 29 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 33 | 0 | ||
| Total | 117 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 142 | 5 | ||
| Norwich City | 2013–14 | Premier League | 34 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 37 | 1 | |
| 2014–15 | Championship | 42 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 45 | 1 | |
| 2015–16 | Premier League | 24 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 27 | 1 | ||
| 2016–17 | Championship | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 20 | 1 | ||
| Total | 119 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 129 | 4 | ||
| Swansea City | 2016–17 | Premier League | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 15 | 2 | |
| 2017–18 | Premier League | 36 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 43 | 0 | ||
| 2018–19 | Championship | 17 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 24 | 0 | ||
| Total | 68 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 82 | 2 | ||
| Helsingborg | 2020 | Allsvenskan | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 0 | ||
| Häcken | 2021 | Allsvenskan | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 1 | 12 | 2 | |
| Malmö FF | 2021 | Allsvenskan | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | 19 | 0 | |
| 2022 | Allsvenskan | 16 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 9 | 1 | 31 | 1 | ||
| 2023 | Allsvenskan | 20 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 1 | |||
| 2024 | Allsvenskan | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 | ||
| Total | 64 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 92 | 2 | ||
| Career total | 391 | 9 | 33 | 0 | 24 | 3 | 28 | 2 | 482 | 15 | ||
International Appearances and Goals
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden | 2010 | 1 | 2 |
| 2011 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2012 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2014 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 56 | 5 | |
- Scores and results list Sweden's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Olsson goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 May 2010 | Råsunda Stadium, Solna, Sweden | 1 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina |
2–1 | 4–2 | Friendly |
| 2 | 3–1 | ||||||
| 3 | 6 September 2011 | Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle, San Marino | 4 |  San Marino |
3–0 | 5–0 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |
| 4 | 7 October 2011 | Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland | 5 |  Finland |
2–1 | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |
| 5 | 11 October 2013 | Friends Arena, Solna, Sweden | 19 |  Austria |
1–1 | 2–1 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Honours and Awards
Norwich City
- Football League Championship play-offs: 2015 (This means they won the play-off tournament to get promoted)
Malmö FF
- Allsvenskan: 2021, 2023, 2024 (This is the top football league in Sweden)
- Svenska Cupen: 2021–22, 2023–24 (This is the main cup competition in Swedish football)
Individual Awards
- Swedish Defender of the Year: 2013
- Stor Grabb: 2013 (This is an award for Swedish national team players who have played a certain number of games)
See also
In Spanish: Martin Olsson para niños
