Fredrik Ljungberg - the best Swedish playmaker

To date, the Swedish national football team, in fact, like all Swedish football, is associated with Zlatan Ibrahimovic. This footballer for his career created around himself such a powerful aura of some attraction that everyone is talking about him, always and everywhere. Fortunately, he is not only charismatic, but also an ingenious athlete. But there were times when Swedish football was much stronger - the national team of this country could even qualify for awards in major tournaments.

Ibrahimovic, in principle, is part of that fear-provoking team, but most of the players of that time have already finished their careers. And one of the most outstanding among them was Fredrik Ljungberg. This player was the real king of creative midfield, one of the best playmakers in Europe, so remembering him will be very long. Of course, he did not create such a PR campaign as Ibrahimovic, but in football skills Zlatan was in no way inferior. So, what was the career path Fredrik Ljungberg, who is now 39 years old?

Carier start

Fredrik Ljungberg was born in the Swedish city of Wittsche in 1977 and at the age of five began to play football at the academy of the club "Halmstad". Talent boy was obvious, so his performances for the adult team, he began as early as 17 years. Naturally, he did not immediately become an "iron" foundation player, but Freddie's performances were simply incredible, so no one had any doubts that the guy would go far and in his home club would not stay long. So it happened - already in 1998, when Ljungberg was only 21 years old, the leading clubs of Europe became interested in him, but he gave his preference to the London "Arsenal", with which he subsequently linked almost all his career. Fredrik Ljungberg, in fact, was one of the symbols of the "Arsenal" of the first half of the zeroes.

The game for Arsenal

"Arsenal" laid out for the young Swedish talent quite good at that time money - four and a half million euros. The place at the heart of Lyngberg did not win at once - in the first season he came to replace, but from the second season he was not just a regular player of the starting lineup, but also one of the leaders. Ljungberg's favorite position was the position of "tens", that is, a playmaker, and he coped with his duties just fine.

For almost ten years, Lyngberg was the creative center of the London club. As a result, he played 317 games for Arsenal in all tournaments and even scored almost fifty goals (although it was not his direct duty), but much more he gave out the programs and created dangerous moments at the opponent's gate for his partners. When Jungberg turned thirty, he began to lose ground at the base. Madrid "Real" was "rented" by Julio Baptista, in addition, the star began to rise the young Belarusian playmaker Alexander Hleb. As a result, in 2007, Ljungberg was sold to another English club, West Ham, and Arsenal bailed out as much as he paid ten years ago - four and a half million euros.

Going to West Ham

Naturally, in the new club for the setting star, there was a guaranteed place in the base, but no one expected that Ljungberg would stay in the club for a long time. Closer to the end of the season, Fredrik was seriously injured and left for half a year, which is why the club management, for which Lyngberg was not a legend, broke the agreement with the player. "West Ham" was not the top club and could not pay a large salary to the legend, who is always in the infirmary.

Break and move to the USA

Ljungberg took a short break for the restoration and in the autumn of 2008, when he was completely ready, he signed a contract with the American club "Seattle Sounders". It was then that the general excitement began for the American league, where all the aged players went to earn money at the end of their career. Ljungberg joined their number and at the age of 31 he became a Saunders player. For the club, he performed for two seasons and did a lot for him, but the contract decided not to renew. In 2010, he moved to another American club - "Chicago".

Latest Games in USA

These six months were the last for Lyngberg in America - he had great games, but it was clear that Freddie wants to return to Europe. So it happened - in the winter of 2011 the 33-year-old player returned to the UK, only this time he signed a contract with the Scottish "Celtic".

Return to Europe

Jungberg triumphantly returned to Europe, but everyone already understood that this was the decline of the career of the great player. He rarely came to the heart of the Celtic, but he continued to play. And in the summer of 2011, after six months in the "Celtic", Lyngberg decided to try something else exotic - and signed a contract with the Japanese club "Shimizu".

Completion of a career and its renewal

For "Shimizu" Ljungberg played an incomplete season, and in February 2012 announced that he is completing his career as a football player. What did Fredrik Ljungberg decide to devote himself to? The footballer's wife was waiting for him at home, he could not play in Japan for a long time, so he decided to quit football. However, everything was not so simple - after two and a half years, Ljungberg surprised everyone by announcing that he was renewing his football career. He played for six months for the Indian club "Mumbai", after which he finally got off to it. And now everything, on which Fredrik Ljungberg is concentrated, - personal life and the affairs which have been not connected with football.

Trophies

The Swedish national football team, for which Lyngberg performed from 1998 to 2008, could not win any trophies. However, at the club level, Ljungberg achieved good successes - in 1995 he won the Swedish Cup with "Halmstad", and two years later he achieved the victory in the championship of Sweden. And from 2002 to 2005, Ljungberg with Arsenal won two championships in England and three FA Cups. And for his six months in Scotland, he won the National Cup with the Celtic.