2002
Premiership Champions (Arsenal FC) 2004 Premiership Champions (Arsenal FC) 2002 FA Cup winner (Arsenal FC) 2003 FA Cup winner (Arsenal FC) 2001 FA Cup Finals (Arsenal FC)
Biography
Karl Fredrik Ljungberg (born April 16, 1977 in Vittsjö)
is a Swedish footballer who currently plays for Arsenal F.C. in
the English Premiership. He is also sometime underwear model for
Calvin Klein.
He has also played handball, ice hockey and golf. He currently
resides in Hampstead, London, and in Halmstad when in Sweden.
Ljungberg joined Arsenal in 1998. He previously played for
Halmstads BK in Sweden, where he made 139 appearances and scored
16 goals. He goalscoring rate has improved significantly after
joining Arsenal. Arsenal's manager, Arsène Wenger, took the
unusual step of authorising the signing of Ljungberg after
watching him play for Sweden in their defeat of England on
television, without making a personal scouting trip. It seemed a
strange way to complete business, but he was hearing good things
about the Swedish midfielder; Wenger was believed to be just
waiting to see how he would cope against English opponents.
Ljungberg passed the test without difficulty and made a
sensational debut scoring against Manchester United (Arsenal's
main rivals for the Premiership title), coming on the field as a
substitute.
Many consider his "purple patch" of form towards the end of the
2001-2002 season crucial to Arsenal's Premiership and FA Cup
double; Robert Pirès had recently been ruled out for months
through a knee injury. Ljungberg came in and scored in most of
Arsenal's remaining games, including a stunning finish in the FA
Cup final against Chelsea.
He is most comfortable in midfield; since the departure of
Emmanuel Petit and Marc Overmars, Ljungberg has been a regular
in Arsenal's starting lineup and has cemented his first team
place. He has had to fight with constant injury problems and
occasionally severe bouts with migraines; in 2005 a mysterious
persistent hip injury led to fears he may have contracted cancer,
which were thankfully unfounded.
For Sweden, Ljungberg played at Euro 2000, the 2002 World Cup,
and Euro 2004. He has appeared over 50 times for his country,
scoring 8 goals.
As of October 22, 2005, Ljungberg has played 179 Premiership
games for Arsenal, scoring 45 goals and making 24 assists. In
the Champions League, he has played 48 games and scored 13 goals.
He is currently the longest serving player in Arsenal, apart
from Highbury legend Dennis Bergkamp.
