- Nils Liedholm
-
Nils Liedholm 
Personal information Date of birth 8 October 1922 Place of birth Valdemarsvik, Sweden Date of death 5 November 2007 (aged 85) Place of death Cuccaro Monferrato, Italy Playing position Midfielder Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 1938–1943 Valdemarsviks IF 1943–1946 IK Sleipner 60 (24) 1946–1949 IFK Norrköping 48 (22) 1949–1961 AC Milan 359 (81) National team 1946–1958 Sweden 21 (10) Teams managed 1961–1963 AC Milan (assistant coach) 1963–1966 AC Milan 1966–1968 Verona 1968–1969 Monza 1969–1971 Varese 1971–1973 Fiorentina 1973–1977 AS Roma 1977–1979 AC Milan 1979–1984 AS Roma 1984–1987 AC Milan 1987–1989 AS Roma 1992 Verona 1997 AS Roma * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).Nils Liedholm (8 October 1922 – 5 November 2007)[1] was a Swedish football midfielder and coach. Il Barone (The Baron), as he is affectionately known in Italy, was renowned for being part of Sweden's "Gre-No-Li" trio of strikers along with Gunnar Gren and Gunnar Nordahl at A.C. Milan and the Swedish national team. As a coach, he was in charge of several teams in Italy, managing for nearly four decades. At the end of the 20th century Liedholm was voted the best Swedish player of the millennium by the readers of Swedens largest newspaper Aftonbladet.
Contents
Club playing career
Liedholm joined his first club, Valdemarsviks IF in 1938. In 1942 he joined IK Sleipner and in 1946 moved to IFK Norrköping, a bigger Swedish club with whom he won two Swedish league titles. During his time with Norrköping, he also earned 18 caps for the Swedish national team, winning the gold medal at the 1948 Summer Olympics. This eventually gave him the chance to join Milan in 1949. He made his Serie A debut on 11 September 1949 in a 3–1 win against Sampdoria. In his first season with Milan, the midfielder played 37 games and scored 18 goals. In 1951, Liedholm won the first of his four scudetto titles. Another three titles followed in 1955, 1957 and 1959. A player with a club that was having the best spell of its life up to that point, Liedholm also won the Latin Cup in 1951 and 1956 and was Captain of Milan in the 1958 European Cup Final against Real Madrid, losing 2–3 (after extra time). It is said that Real Madrid great Alfredo Di Stefano who, felt despite victory knew it was a match Milan could have won. Asking Liedholm to join him on a lap of victory, Liedholm said to him "Keep it. That won't matter. The only thing that will be remembered from this match down the years is that Real Madrid won".
Famous for his passing abilities, Liedholm was the creator of many of Gunnar Nordahl's goals. Nordahl still has the scoring record in Serie A with 225 goals in 257 games. According to legend, it took two years playing for Milan until Liedholm misplaced his first pass at the San Siro, the rarity prompting a five-minute ovation from the home crowd.[2][3]
Liedholm was also one of the first players to realise the importance of fitness to a good performance. Consequently, he put in many more hours of training than other players, saying himself that he did the 100 metres, 3000 metres, javelin, shot put and high jump twice a week.[3] His club career would continue until he was almost 40.
National team playing career
Having helped Sweden win the gold medal in the 1948 Olympic tournament, Liedholm was the captain of the national squad at the 1958 World Cup, celebrated in his home country. Aged almost 36, he helped Sweden to reach the World Cup final, where the team lost out to a Brazil side that included Didi and 17-year old Pelé. Liedholm scored the opening goal of the final, which makes him the oldest player to score in a World Cup Final; however, Brazil came back and won the match 5–2.
Coaching career
After he retired from playing, Liedholm enjoyed some time in the backrooms at Milan, before getting promotion for both Verona and then Varese. This brought him to the attention of Fiorentina and then Milan, where he finally took control of the first team. He guided them to their tenth league title in 1979 before moving on to become the manager of Roma. Leading talents such as Paulo Roberto Falcão and Bruno Conti, he took them to their second league title ever in 1983 using the zonal marking system, which was unusual in Italy at the time. A year later, his Roma side lost on penalties to Liverpool in the European Cup Final. He also won the Coppa Italia three times with Roma, in 1981, 1983 and 1984.
As well as saying that the modern game is much more frantic and fast-paced than when he was involved, Liedholm, always a professional, also observed that "they [players] do not do much to avoid fouling players... It is too easy to stop a player by fouling him. Proper training teaches you how to win the ball without committing a foul, which is much more difficult.[3]
After leaving the game (but still living in Italy), Liedholm ran a vineyard for a while together with his son Carlo. He died on 5 November 2007 in his home in Cuccaro Monferrato, Province of Alessandria.[1]
Statistics
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Milan 1949-1950 37 18 - - - - - - 37 18 1950-1951 31 13 - - - - 2 0 33 13 1951-1952 38 9 - - - - - - 38 9 1952-1953 30 6 - - - - 2 1 32 7 1953-1954 31 10 - - - - - - 31 10 1954-1955 28 6 - - - - 1 1 29 7 1955-1956 31 1 - - 6 0 2 0 39 1 1956-1957 26 4 - - - - 2 1 28 5 1957-1958 24 7 - - 8 2 - - 32 9 1958-1959 30 1 2 1 - - - - 32 2 1959-1960 28 3 - - 4 0 3 2 35 5 1960-1961 25 3 1 - - - 2 - 28 3 Total 359 81 3 1 18 2 14 5 394 89 *European competitions include the UEFA Champions League
*Other competitions include the Latin Cup & Amicizia Cup
Honours
Olympic medal record Competitor for 
SwedenMen's Football Gold 1948 London Team Competition - Serie A: 1951, 1955, 1957, 1959
- Latin Cup: 1951, 1956
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 1957–58
- 1948 Summer Olympics: gold medal winner
- 1958 FIFA World Cup: runner-up
- Allsvenskan Champion 1946–47 and 1947–48
Other sports
He also was a bandy player in Valdemarsvik and the district team of Östergötland. He was a member of the Italian Bandy Federation.[1]
References
- ^ a b "Addio al Barone Liedholm" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 2007-11-05. http://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Primo_Piano/2007/11_Novembre/05/liedholm.shtml. Retrieved 2007-11-05.
- ^ "Greatest players". gopeking.net (unofficial IFK Norrköping fansite). Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. http://web.archive.org/web/20070928073229/http://www.gopeking.net/english_greatestplayers.php. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
- ^ a b c "Golden Great: Nils Liedholm". Football Italia. June 2001. Archived from the original on 2007-08-13. http://web.archive.org/web/20070813032144/http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/articles/liedholmgg.html. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
External links
- Obituary in The Times, 7 November 2007
- Greatest Swedish Players
- Golden Great: Nils Liedholm
- Liedholm's Career at RSSSF.com
- Liedholm Winery Official Website
- Champion, gentleman, friend
Sweden squad – 1948 Summer Olympics Gold Medalists MC Andersson • AT Carlsson • DF Emanuelsson • AT Gren • AT Jönsson • MC Leander • AT Liedholm • G Lindberg • DF E. Nilsson • AT S. Nilsson • MC B. Nordahl • AT G. Nordahl • MC K. Nordahl • MC Rosén • MC Rosengren • G Svensson • Coach: Raynor
Sweden squad – 1958 FIFA World Cup Runners-Up 1 K. Svensson • 2 Bergmark • 3 Axbom • 4 Liedholm • 5 Johansson • 6 Parling • 7 Hamrin • 8 Gren • 9 Simonsson • 10 Selmosson • 11 Skoglund • 12 T. Svensson • 13 Öberg • 14 Gustavsson • 15 Börjesson • 16 Haraldsson • 17 Håkansson • 18 Löfgren • 19 Källgren • 20 Mellberg • 21 Berndtsson • 22 Olsson • Coach: RaynorA.C. Milan – managers Kilpin (1899–06) · Angeloni (1906–07) · Camperio (1907–11) · Technical committee (1911–15) · Moda (1915–16) · Cevenini (1916–18) · Technical committee (1918–19) · Moda (1919–21) · Lovati (1921–22) · Soldera (1922) · Oppenheim (1922–24) · Pozzo (1924–26) · Moda (1926) · Burgess (1926–28) · König (1928–31) · Bánás (1931–33) · Violak (1933–34) · Baloncieri (1934–37) · Garbutt (1937) · Felsner / Bánás (1937–38) · Bánás (1938–39) · Violak / Bánás (1939–40) · Bánás (1940) · Busini / Ara (1940–41) · Magnozzi (1941–43) · Santagostino (1943–45) · Busini / Baloncieri (1945–46) · Busini / Bigogno (1946–47) · Bigogno (1947–48) · Busini / Bigogno (1948–49) · Busini / Czeizler (1949–52) · Busini / Sperone (1952–53) · Busini / Gren (1953) · Busini / Morselli (1953) · Guttmann (1953–55) · Puricelli (1955–56) · Viani (1956–58) · Viani / Bonizzoni (1958–60) · Viani / Todeschini (1960–61) · Viani / Rocco (1961–63) · Viani / Carniglia (1963–64) · Viani / Liedholm (1964–65) · Liedholm (1965–66) · Cattozzo (1966) · Silvestri (1966–67) · Rocco (1967–72) · Rocco / Maldini (1972–73) · Rocco (1973) · Rocco / Maldini (1973–74) · Maldini (1974) · Trapattoni (1974) · Giagnoni (1974–75) · Rocco / Trapattoni (1975–76) · Rocco / Barison (1976) · Marchioro (1976–77) · Rocco (1977) · Liedholm (1977–79) · Giacomini (1979–81) · Galbiati (1981) · Radice (1981–82) · Galbiati (1982) · Castagner (1982–84) · Galbiati (1984) · Liedholm (1984–87) · Capello (1987) · Sacchi (1987–91) · Capello (1991–96) · Tabárez / Morini (1996) · Sacchi (1996–97) · Capello (1997–98) · Zaccheroni (1998–2001) · Maldini / Tassotti (2001) · Terim / Di Gennaro (2001) · Ancelotti (2001–09) · Leonardo (2009–10) · Allegri (2010–)
ACF Fiorentina – managers Csapkay (1926–30) · Feldmann (1930–31) · Felsner (1931–33) · Rady (1933) · Ging (1933–34) · Ara (1934–37) · Molnar (1938) · Soutschek (1938–39) · Galluzzi (1939–45) · Bigogno (1945–46) · Ara (1946) · Magli (1946–47) · Senkey (1947) · Ferrero (1947–51) · Magli (1951–53) · Bernardini (1953–58) · Czeizler (1958–59) · Ferrero (1959) · Carniglia (1959–60) · Chiappella (1960) · Hidegkuti (1960–62) · Valcareggi (1962–64) · Chiappella (1964–67) · Ferrero (1967–68) · Bassi (1968) · Pesaola (1968–71) · Pugliese (1971) · Liedholm (1971–73) · Radice (1973–74) · Rocco (1974–75) · Mazzone (1975–77) · Mazzoni (1977–78) · Chiappella (1978) · Carosi (1978–81) · De Sisti (1981–85) · Valcareggi (1985) · Agroppi (1985–86) · Bersellini (1986–87) · Eriksson (1987–89) · Giorgi (1989–90) · Graziani (1990) · Lazaroni (1990–91) · Radice (1991–93) · Agroppi (1993) · Chiarugi (1993) · Ranieri (1993–97) · Malesani (1997–98) · Trapattoni (1998–2000) · Terim (2000–01) · Chiarugi (2001) · Mancini (2001–02) · Chiarugi (2002) · Bianchi (2002) · Fascetti (2002) · Vierchowod (2002) · Cavasin (2002–04) · Mondonico (2004) · Buso (2004–05) · Zoff (2005) · Prandelli (2005–10) · Mihajlović (2010–11) · Rossi (2011–)
Hellas Verona F.C. – Vivi (1910–11) · Masprone (1911–14) · Technical commission (1914–15) · Technical commission (1919–20) · Bascheni (1920–21) · Technical commission (1921–22) · A. Friedmann (1922–24) · Molnár (1924–25) · Schoffer (1925–26) · Technical commission (1926–27) · Fagiuoli (1927) · Bekey (1928) · Bascheni (1928–29) · Kuttik (1929–32) · Stanzel (1932) · Pallotta (1933) · Bekey (1933–34) · E. Chiecchi (1934–35) · Capra (1935–36) · Vaniczek (1936–38) · G. Chiecchi (1939) · Peics (1939) · G. Chiecchi (1940–41) · Stürmer (1941–42) · Bosio (1942–44) · Bosio (1945–46) · Vaniczek (1946–47) · Biagini (1947–49) · Székely (1949) · Piccioli (1950–52) · Lelovics (1953) · Rossetto (1953) · Ferrero (1954) · Piccioli (1955) · Allasio (1955) · Piccioli (1955–58) · Bonizzoni & Tavellin (1958) · G. Viani (1958) · V. Viani (1958–59) · Tavellin (1959) · Olivieri (1959–60) · Bizzotto (1960–61) · Biagini (1961–62) · Tavellin (1962) · Facchini (1962–64) · Biagini (1964) · Tavellin (1964) · Cadè (1964–65) · Tognon (1965–66) · Pozzan (1966–67) · Liedholm (1967) · Liedholm-Pozzan (1967–68) · Cadè (1968–69) · Lucchi (1969–70) · Pozzan (1970–72) · Cadè (1972–75) · Mascalaito (1975) · Pozzan (1970–72) · Cadè (1972–75) · Mascalaito (1975) · Valcareggi (1975–78) · Chiappella (1978–79) · Veneranda (1979–80) · Cadè (1980–81) · Bagnoli (1981–90) · Fascetti (1990–92) · Liedholm-Corso (1992) · Reja (1992–93) · Mutti (1993–94) · Montana (1994) · Mutti (1994–95) · Perotti (1995–96) · Cagni (1996–98) · Maddè (1998) · Prandelli (1998–2000) · Perotti (2000–01) · Malesani (2001–03) · Salvioni (2003) · Maddè (2003–04) · Ficcadenti (2004–07) · Ventura (2007) · Colomba (2007) · Pellegrini (2007–08) · Sarri (2008) · Pellegrini (2008) · Remondina (2008–10) · Vavassori (2010) · Giannini (2010) · Mandorlini (2010–) A.S. Roma – managers Garbutt (1927–29) · Baccani (1929–30) · Burgess (1930–32) · Barr (1932–3) · Kovács (1933–34) · Barbesino (1934–38) · Ara (1938–39) · Schaffer (1939–42) · Kertész (1942–43) · Masetti (1943–45) · Degni (1945–47) · Senkey (1947–48) · Brunella (1948–49) · Bernardini (1949–50) · Baloncieri (1950) · Serantoni (1950) · Masetti (1950–1951) · Viani (1951–1953) · Varglien (1953–54) · Carver (1954–56) · Sárosi (1956) · Masetti (1956–57) · Stock (1957–58) · Nordahl (1958–59) · Sárosi (1959–60) · Foni (1960–61) · Carniglia (1961–63) · Krieziu (1963) · Foni (1963–64) · Miró (1964–65) · Lorenzo (1965–66) · Pugliese (1966–68) · Herrera (1968–70) · Tessari (1970) · Herrera (1971–72) · Trebiciani (1972–73) · Liedholm (1973–77) · Giagnoni (1977–78) · Valcareggi (1978–79) · Liedholm (1979–84) · Eriksson (1984–86) · Sormani (1986–87) · Liedholm (1987–89) · Spinosi (1989) · Liedholm (1989) · Radice (1989–90) · O. Bianchi (1990–92) · Boškov (1992–93) · Mazzone (1993–96) · C. Bianchi (1996–97) · Liedholm & Sella (1997) · Zeman (1997–1999) · Capello (1999–2004) · Prandelli (2004) · Völler (2004) · Delneri (2004–05) · Conti (2005) · Spalletti (2005–09) · Ranieri (2009–11) · Montella (2011) · Luis Enrique (2011–)
Categories:- 1922 births
- 2007 deaths
- Swedish footballers
- Olympic footballers of Sweden
- Olympic gold medalists for Sweden
- Footballers at the 1948 Summer Olympics
- Swedish football managers
- Sweden international footballers
- IFK Norrköping players
- A.C. Milan players
- Serie A footballers
- ACF Fiorentina managers
- Hellas Verona F.C. managers
- A.C. Milan managers
- A.S. Roma managers
- Serie A managers
- Expatriate football managers in Italy
- Allsvenskan players
- 1958 FIFA World Cup players
- Swedish expatriate footballers
- Expatriate footballers in Italy
- Olympic medalists in football
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
