Thorstein Helstad

Football player infobox
playername = Thorstein Helstad


fullname = Thorstein Helstad
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1977|4|28
cityofbirth = Hamar
countryofbirth = Norway
height = 187 cm
currentclub = Le Mans
clubnumber = 22
position = Striker
youthyears = 1994
youthclubs = Fart
years = 1995–1997
1998–2002
2002–2004
2004–2006
2006–2008
2008–
clubs = Ham–Kam
Brann
Austria Wien
Rosenborg
Brann
Le Mans
caps(goals) = 44 (12)
99 (54)
57 (12)
30 (14)
38 (27)
8 (4)
nationalyears = 1996–1999
2000–
nationalteam = Norway U21 Norway
nationalcaps(goals) = 030 0(5)
027 0(9)
pcupdate = August 12 2008
ntupdate = November 14 2007

Thorstein Helstad (born April 28, 1977) is a Norwegian footballer currently playing for Le Mans.

Career

Helstad started his career in his local club Fart/Vang, before being snapped up by the biggest club in the district, Ham-Kam at the age of 18. Helstad played for "Kamma" in the Norwegian 1. division from 1995 to 1997, when the Premiership club SK Brann, in strong competition with other major Norwegian clubs, signed the talented youngster. In Brann, Helstad showed the whole country his talent and potential, and it was in Bergen that Helstad experienced his biggest success on the football field. While Helstad was in the club, Brann won league bronze and cup silver in 1999 and league silver in 2000. In addition, Helstad also became the Tippeliga top scorer in both 2000 (18 goals in 24 matches) and in 2001 (17 goals in 23 matches) and won a Kniksen award. Helstad was sold to the Austrian side Austria Wien in 2002, but despite winning the Austrian Bundesliga, the Austrian Cup and the Austrian Supercup, his stay in central Europe was a modest success, and in 2004, Helstad returned home to Norway and the league champions Rosenborg. Helstad never managed to gain a regular spot on the Rosenborg team, often said to be a result of him have to play winger in a 4-3-3 system, instead of playing striker in a 4-4-2 system.

Back in Bergen

On June 25 2006 Thorstein Helstad signed a 3.5 year contact with SK Brann, in a surprising transfer worth between £260 000 and £350 000 (€380 000-€505 000). Since he left Rosenborg in the middle of the season he became the only player who's ever won both a gold and a silver medal in the Tippeliga in the same season. In 2006 he had enough matches for both the champions Rosenborg BK and the runner-ups SK Brann, to receive his 2nd gold and 2nd silver medal in the Norwegian Premier League.

In 2006 Helstad surpassed the scoring record of his own coach Mons Ivar Mjelde and he is among the most scoring Brann-players ever.

Le Mans

In July, 2008, Brann accepted a €2 million bid for Helstad from French club Le Mans, where he was installed as their starting striker. [http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12875_3874179,00.html]

Honours

Norway

*Norwegian Premier League: 2004, 2006 and 2007

Individual

*Norwegian Premier League top scorer: 2000, 2001 and 2007
*Kniksen award: Striker of the Year in 2000 and 2007
*Norwegian Football Association Gold Watch

Austria

*Austrian Bundesliga: 2003
*Austrian Cup: 2003
*Austrian Supercup: 2003

References

External links

* [http://www.fotball.no/histstat.ASP?WCI=wiPerson&personid=296718 Helstad profile] at Norwegian FA no icon

Persondata
NAME= Helstad, Thorstein
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Helstad, Thorstein
SHORT DESCRIPTION=footballer
DATE OF BIRTH= 1977-4-28
PLACE OF BIRTH= Hamar , Norway
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=