Ole Gunnar Solskjær

Ole Gunnar Solskjær (born February 26, 1973) is a Norwegian football player who currently plays for Manchester United (since July 1996). Before he came to England, he played for Clausenengen F.K. and Molde F.K.. He is married and has two children. Solskjær is 1.78m tall and weighs 74kg.

Related Topics:
February 26 - 1973 - Norwegian - Football - Manchester United - England - Clausenengen F.K. - Molde F.K.

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When Alex Ferguson failed to sign Alan Shearer, he settled for this then unknown Norwegian striker. Solskjær had scored 31 goals in 42 matches for Molde F.K. in the Norwegian Premier League, and he did not disappoint at the start of his United career, scoring six minutes into his debut as a substitute against Blackburn in the Premiership.

Related Topics:
Alex Ferguson - Alan Shearer - Norwegian Premier League - Blackburn - Premiership

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Solskjær scored 18 Premiership goals for United in the first season, helping United win the title in the last weeks of the season. The British media nicknamed him the "Baby-Faced Assassin" because of his youthful looks and his deadly finishing. He has the ability of a super-sub as well, and earned wide acclaim for coming on and scoring four goals in the last seventeen minutes of United's 8-1 thrashing of Nottingham Forest, incidentally also United's biggest away win ever.

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Ole enjoys life at Old Trafford and didn't leave the club when an offer of £5.5m came from Spurs, among others in 1998. United fans were mightily grateful, as the slightly built Norwegian went on to score the winning goal in the Champions League Final in 1999. He is a firm favourite, inspiring many songs from "Who put the ball in the German's net?" to (to the tune of "You Are My Sunshine") "You are my Solskjær."

Related Topics:
Old Trafford - Spurs - Champions League

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He finally got the chance as a starter in 2001/02, alongside Ruud van Nistelrooy, and he took the chance with characteristic incisiveness, forcing Andrew Cole and Dwight Yorke onto the subs bench, in his usual place.

Related Topics:
Ruud van Nistelrooy - Andrew Cole - Dwight Yorke

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By 2002/03, both Andrew Cole and Dwight Yorke had left Old Trafford and Solskjær had only the hardly prolific Diego Forlán to compete with for places, but Ferguson's persistence on playing Ruud van Nistelrooy up front on his own meant that opportunities were still limited.

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However, he still got his chance when David Beckham picked up an injury and the versatile Norwegian was played on the right wing. He proved himself to be a fine crosser of the ball, and still managed to pop up with crucial goals, sixteen in total for the season. It was testament to his brilliant form that he was selected to play on the right wing in crucial matches, in the league against Arsenal and in a Champions League quarter-final tie with Real Madrid, while Beckham was left on the bench.

Related Topics:
David Beckham - Arsenal - Real Madrid

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In 03-04, Solskjær found himself in and out of the United squad as he struggled with a reccuring knee problem. With the arrival of Fulham's Louis Saha in January 2004, Solskjær found himself ousted from the United First team and returning to his original 'supersub' mantle, or indeed moving to an attacking midfield position. Solskjaer returned from injury in time to appear in the 2004 FA Cup final, which United won. However, the arrival of Alan Smith in the summer of 2004 led to rumours that he was to leave Old Trafford, touted as one of several names, along with Nicky Butt, who eventually went to Newcastle United and David Bellion offered as part-exchange for the impressive Wayne Rooney. He underwent intensive knee surgery in early August 2004 which has resulted in him missing the entire 04-05 Premiership season. Despite United's heavyweight strikeforce conceivably limiting the 32-year-old's chances of playing even when he is fit again, the Old Trafford faithful still hope to see him play for United again, indeed he has an almost fanatical loyalty from many United fans.

Related Topics:
Fulham - Louis Saha - Alan Smith - Nicky Butt - Newcastle United - David Bellion - Wayne Rooney

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To show Solskjær that he has not been forgotten while out injured, the United faithful have added a banner to the famous collection that lines the Stretford End reading "20Legend." Solskjær recently became a patron of the fans action group Shareholders United which is dedicated to the unsuccessful fight for the takeover of Manchester United.

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For Norway, Solskjær played in the {{Wc|1998}} and {{Ec2|2000}} and has appeared over 60 times for his country.

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