Marcus Allbäck


Marcus Christian Allbäck is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a striker. He was known for his sharp finishing ability and represented clubs in Sweden, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, England, and Germany during a career that spanned between 1992 and 2009. A full international between 1999 and 2008, he won 74 caps for the [Sweden men's national association football|football team|Sweden national team] and scored 30 goals. He represented Sweden at three UEFA European Championships as well as two FIFA World Cups.
After his playing career he served as an assistant coach for the Sweden national team between 2009 and 2016.

Club career

Early career

Born in Gothenburg, Allbäck started his professional career with Örgryte IS. He then proceeded to have two modest loan stints abroad, with Lyngby Boldklub and A.S. Bari of Serie A, before rejoining his first club.
In 2000, he joined SC Heerenveen of the Eredivisie, before moving to Aston Villa for £2 million in 2002. He was not a regular for the Premier League club, due to Darius Vassell and Juan Pablo Ángel. At the end of his contract, he joined Hansa Rostock in the summer of 2004.

F.C. Copenhagen

In the summer of 2005, aged 32, Allbäck signed with F.C. Copenhagen. On 1 November 2006, he scored the winning goal in a 1–0 UEFA Champions League group stage game against Manchester United. In that match, he was also awarded the fans' Man of the Match award. 20 days later he also scored against S.L. Benfica at Estádio da Luz – a match lost 3–1. Allbäck scored again in the last group stage match against Celtic at Parken in a 3–1 win. After the final home game of the Danish Superliga 2006–07 season, he was presented with the fans' Player of the Year award, as the side emerged back-to-back champions, and the striker netted 11 league goals.
In August 2007, Allbäck scored a late away equaliser against Beitar Jerusalem in the second leg of the second round Champions League qualifier in extra time, to keep Copenhagen's group stage dreams alive, although the side would eventually bow out to Benfica in the next round.

Return to Sweden and retirement

On 1 July 2008, Allbäck returned to Sweden and Örgryte, his third spell at the club.
On 14 December 2009, after Örgryte IS was relegated from Allsvenskan, Allbäck announced his retirement from football.
After Sweden's victory against the Netherlands, it was official that Allbäck would participate in Örgryte's next home game against Motala, He came on in the 69th minute but could not affect the game.

International career

Allbäck made his debut for the national side on 27 November 1999 in a friendly against South Africa.
He was selected for Sweden's Euro 2000 squad, but was the only outfield player who did not play for Sweden in the tournament. By the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Allbäck had established himself in the starting line-up after an impressive display in the qualification. However, he had a disappointing tournament with no goals. At Euro 2004, the 2006 World Cup, and Euro 2008, Allbäck was mostly used as a substitute.
On 20 June 2006, during the 2006 World Cup, Allbäck helped Sweden earn a 2–2 draw against England by netting their first goal. This goal by Allbäck was the 2000th goal scored in the history of the World Cup. On 6 September, he scored twice to help propel Sweden past visitors Liechtenstein 3–1 in the second of their 2008 European Championship qualifying matches.
On 6 June 2007, during [UEFA UEFA Euro 2008|Euro 2008 qualifying|Euro 2008 qualifiers], Allbäck scored a highly surreal goal against Iceland when an opponent, Ívar Ingimarsson, gave him the ball incorrectly thinking a free kick had been awarded.
After Sweden's group stage exit from Euro 2008, Allbäck announced that he would retire from the national team, ending his international career with 74 caps with 30 goals.
Allbäck worked for SVT as a commentator during the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009 in South Africa.

Post-playing career

On 7 November 2009, Allbäck was named as the new assistant coach of the Sweden men's national football team. He stepped down from this position in 2016, following Sweden's disappointing Euro 2016 campaign. He started his career as a football agent later the same year.

Career statistics

International

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
131 January 2000La Manga Club, La Manga, Spain1–01–02000–01 Nordic Football Championship
228 March 2001Zimbru Stadium, Chişinău, Moldova1–02–02002 FIFA World Cup qualification
328 March 2001Zimbru Stadium, Chişinău, Moldova2–02–0[2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)|2002 FIFA FIFA World Cup|World Cup qualification]
42 June 2001Råsunda, Stockholm, Sweden1–02–02002 FIFA World Cup qualification
52 June 2001Råsunda, Stockholm, Sweden2–02–02002 FIFA World Cup qualification
66 June 2001Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden5–06–02002 FIFA World Cup qualification
715 August 2001Råsunda, Stockholm, Sweden2–03–0Friendly
827 March 2002Malmö Stadion, Malmö, Sweden1–01–1Friendly
925 May 2002National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan1–01–1Friendly
1016 October 2002Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden2–02–3Friendly
1120 November 2002Na Stínadlech, Teplice, Czech Republic3–33–3Friendly
122 April 2003Népstadion, Budapest, Hungary1–02–1Euro 2004 qualifying
132 April 2003Népstadion, Budapest, Hungary2–12–1UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying
147 June 2003Stadio Serravalle, San Marino, San Marino2–06–0UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying
157 June 2003Stadio Serravalle, San Marino, San Marino6–06–0UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying
1611 June 2003Råsunda, Stockholm, Sweden2–03–0UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying
1728 May 2004Ratina Stadion, Tampere, Finland2–13–1Friendly
1828 May 2004Ratina Stadion, Tampere, Finland3–13–1Friendly
195 June 2004Råsunda, Stockholm, Sweden3–03–1Friendly
2014 June 2004José Alvalade Stadium, Lisbon, Portugal5–05–0UEFA Euro 2004
2113 October 2004Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland2–04–12006 FIFA World Cup qualification
2217 November 2004Easter Road Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland1–04–1Friendly
2317 November 2004Easter Road Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland2–04–1Friendly
2420 June 2006RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne, Germany1–12–22006 FIFA World Cup
256 September 2006Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden1–03–1UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
266 September 2006Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden2–13–1UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
277 October 2006Råsunda, Stockholm, Sweden2–02–0UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
286 June 2007Råsunda, Stockholm, Sweden1–05–0UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
296 June 2007Råsunda, Stockholm, Sweden5–05–0UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
3021 November 2007Råsunda, Stockholm, Sweden1–02–1UEFA Euro 2008 qualification

Honours

F.C. Copenhagen
Örgryte IS
Individual