Ronnie Carl Hellström is a former Swedish

Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

 football goalkeeper.

He played most of his career in Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

; being considered one of the world's top goalkeepers in the 70's, he won the Golden ball (Guldbollen

Guldbollen

Guldbollen, , is a Swedish football award given by the Aftonbladet and the Swedish Football Association to the best male Swedish footballer each year....

) twice, in 1971 and 1978. His son, Erland

Erland Hellström

Erland Hellström in Kaiserslautern, Germany is a Swedish football goalkeeper who currently is a free agent after leaving Hammarby IF in a mutual consent agreement.-Personal life:...

, is also a footballer and a goalkeeper.

Club career

Hellström started his career in Hammarby IF

Hammarby IF

Hammarby Fotboll is a Swedish football club based in Johanneshov - just south of Södermalm, the southernmost district of Stockholm city centre...

, and in 1974 became a professional with 1. FC Kaiserslautern

1. FC Kaiserslautern

1. Fußball-Club Kaiserslautern, also known as 1. FCK, FCK or simply Kaiserslautern, is a German association football club based in Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Palatinate. On 2 June 1900, Germania 1896 and FG Kaiserslautern merged to create FC 1900...

, where he played 266 Bundesliga

Fußball-Bundesliga

The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...

 matches before retiring, in 1984. From 1978–82, although always coming up empty in the end, he helped the club to consecutive top three (or four) finishes.

In 1988, Hellström played one match in the Allsvenskan

Allsvenskan

Allsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...

, for GIF Sundsvall

GIF Sundsvall

GIF Sundsvall is a Swedish football club located in the city of Sundsvall. The club, formed on 25 August 1903, is currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan. The club is affiliated to Medelpads Fotbollförbund.- History :...

. He was 39 years, 7 months and 18 days at the time. He later went on to work as a goalkeeping coach for Hammarby and Malmö FF

Malmö FF

Malmö Fotbollförening, also known simply as Malmö FF, are a Swedish professional football club based in Malmö. The club is affiliated with Skånes Fotbollförbund and play their home games at Swedbank Stadion. The club colours, reflected in their crest and kit, are sky blue and white...

.

International career

Hellström helped Sweden

Sweden national football team

The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...

 to a fifth place in the 1974 FIFA World Cup

1974 FIFA World Cup

The 1974 FIFA World Cup, the tenth staging of the World Cup, was held in West Germany from 13 June to 7 July. The tournament marked the first time that the current trophy, the FIFA World Cup Trophy, created by the Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, was awarded...

, and also played at the 1970

1970 FIFA World Cup

The 1970 FIFA World Cup, the ninth staging of the World Cup, was held in Mexico, from 31 May to 21 June. The 1970 tournament was the first World Cup hosted in North America, and the first held outside South America and Europe. In a match-up of two-time World Cup champions, the final was won by...

 and the 1978 edition

1978 FIFA World Cup

The 1978 FIFA World Cup, the 11th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Argentina between 1 June and 25 June. The 1978 World Cup was won by Argentina who beat the Netherlands 3–1 after extra time in the final. This win was the first World Cup title for Argentina, who became the fifth...

s. In total, he received 77 caps.

While in Argentina

Argentina

Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...

 during the 1978 World Cup, Hellström was the only member of the expedition (all teams comprised) that took part in the demonstrations of the Madres de la Plaza de Mayo in front of Casa Rosada

Casa Rosada

La Casa Rosada is the official seat of the executive branch of the government of Argentina, and of the offices of the President. The President normally lives at the Quinta de Olivos, a compound in Olivos, Buenos Aires Province. Its characteristic color is pink, and is considered one of the most...

.

External links

• Ronnie Hellström at worldfootball.net