Tom Lund
Encyclopedia
Tom Lund is a former Norwegian
football
coach
and striker
, he is considered as perhaps Norway's greatest football player of all time.
Lund spent his entire career at Norwegian club Lillestrøm
, despite receiving numerous offers from big clubs abroad. The most famous example of his loyalty came in 1973, when he turned down Ajax
, who wanted him to fill in the gap after football legend Johan Cruijff. On September 14, 1977 Lillestrøm played against Ajax in the European champions cup, at Ullevaal Stadium and won 2–0. The match was seen by more than 20,000 spectators, which became an all-time record attendance for any LSK match at home. But Lillestrøm lost the second-leg match in Amsterdam 4–0. It was after these two matches and a national cap Ajax decided that they wanted Lillestrøm's Tom Lund to replace Johann Cruyff when he left for FC Barcelona
. Lund also turned down offers from clubs like Real Madrid
and Bayern Munich
.
In all official competitions, he played 336 matches and scored 193 goals for Lillestrøm (of which 253 matches and 137 goals were recorded in league competition), helping his club to win the Norwegian Cup
in 1977, 1978 and 1981, and the Norwegian top division
in 1976 and 1977. He won 47 caps for the Norwegian national team, and scored 12 goals. He retired from football in 1982, at the relatively young age of 32, while still being regarded as one of the best players in Norwegian football.
Lund is afraid to fly, and travelled by car to away games in Norway and Europe. It has been speculated that this is one of the reasons why he turned down offers from abroad.
From 1985 to 1987, as well as in 1990, Tom Lund coached Lillestrøm, and secured a cup triumph in 1985 and a league championship in 1986. For his loyalty and achievements with Lillestrøm he is one of the few Norwegian footballers to be immortalised in sculpture, with a statue of him standing outside Lillestrøms stadium, Åråsen.
As of 2006, Tom Lund is an investor in Lillestrøm, and is part of the club's sports committee.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
and striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
, he is considered as perhaps Norway's greatest football player of all time.
Lund spent his entire career at Norwegian club Lillestrøm
Lillestrøm S.K.
Lillestrøm Sportsklubb is a Norwegian football club from the city of Lillestrøm. It was founded in 1917, after the merger of two local football clubs. Their home ground is Åråsen Stadion, while the principal training ground is Lillestrøm stadion, or the indoor arena, LSK-Hallen...
, despite receiving numerous offers from big clubs abroad. The most famous example of his loyalty came in 1973, when he turned down Ajax
Ajax Amsterdam
Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax , also referred to as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam or simply Ajax , is a professional football club from Amsterdam, Netherlands...
, who wanted him to fill in the gap after football legend Johan Cruijff. On September 14, 1977 Lillestrøm played against Ajax in the European champions cup, at Ullevaal Stadium and won 2–0. The match was seen by more than 20,000 spectators, which became an all-time record attendance for any LSK match at home. But Lillestrøm lost the second-leg match in Amsterdam 4–0. It was after these two matches and a national cap Ajax decided that they wanted Lillestrøm's Tom Lund to replace Johann Cruyff when he left for FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
. Lund also turned down offers from clubs like Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
and Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
.
In all official competitions, he played 336 matches and scored 193 goals for Lillestrøm (of which 253 matches and 137 goals were recorded in league competition), helping his club to win the Norwegian Cup
Norwegian football cup
The Norwegian Football Cup is the main knockout cup competition in Norwegian football. It is run by the Football Association of Norway and has been contested since 1902, making it the oldest football tournament in the country. The tournament is commonly known as Cupen or NM, an acronym formed...
in 1977, 1978 and 1981, and the Norwegian top division
Norwegian Premier League
Tippeligaen is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. The league is also unofficially known under its neutral name Eliteserien , although the name has never been official...
in 1976 and 1977. He won 47 caps for the Norwegian national team, and scored 12 goals. He retired from football in 1982, at the relatively young age of 32, while still being regarded as one of the best players in Norwegian football.
Lund is afraid to fly, and travelled by car to away games in Norway and Europe. It has been speculated that this is one of the reasons why he turned down offers from abroad.
From 1985 to 1987, as well as in 1990, Tom Lund coached Lillestrøm, and secured a cup triumph in 1985 and a league championship in 1986. For his loyalty and achievements with Lillestrøm he is one of the few Norwegian footballers to be immortalised in sculpture, with a statue of him standing outside Lillestrøms stadium, Åråsen.
As of 2006, Tom Lund is an investor in Lillestrøm, and is part of the club's sports committee.