Erik Edman

Football player infobox
playername= Erik Edman


fullname = Erik Kenneth Edman
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1978|11|11
cityofbirth = Huskvarna
countryofbirth = Sweden
height = height|m=1.79
currentclub = Wigan Athletic
clubnumber = 3
position = Left back
youthyears =
youthclubs = Habo IF
years = 1994-1999
1999-2000
2000
2000-2001
2001-2004
2004-2005
2005-2008
2008-
clubs = Helsingborgs IF
Torino
Karlsruher SC
AIK
SC Heerenveen
Tottenham Hotspur
Stade Rennais
Wigan Athletic
caps(goals) = 061 00(1)
000 00(0)
008 00(0)
021 00(0)
091 00(1)
031 00(1)
056 00(0)
005 00(0)
nationalyears = 2001-
nationalteam = Sweden
nationalcaps(goals) = 053 00(1)
pcupdate = 22 March, 2008
ntupdate = 18 January, 2008

Erik Edman [IPA: 'eːrɪk 'eːdmɑn] (born November 11, 1978, in Huskvarna, Sweden) is a professional Swedish footballer, currently playing for Wigan Athletic. He is a left back, but has also established himself as a centre back.

Club career

Edman is an experienced left back, who has played for a number of clubs during his career. Edman was a player at Helsingborgs IF until 1999, which was his first time leaving Sweden and moved abroad. In 2001, after having unremarkable spells at Italian club Torino and Karlsruher SC in Germany, Edman returned to Sweden and joined AIK for one season.

After that, SC Heerenveen in the Netherlands brought Edman from Sweden. Following Euro 2004, Tottenham Hotspur in England brought Edman from the Netherlands. Edman quickly established himself at the club, and will probably be best remembered at Spurs for his stunning goal, which he scored from 35 yards out in the Premier League match against Liverpool on April 16, 2005.

However, in the summer of 2005, the arrival of South Korean left back Lee Young-Pyo led Edman to make the decision of leaving England. In the last week of August, Spurs accepted an offer from French club Rennes. It didn't take long for Edman to impress his new manager, and once again established himself as first choice at left-back.

In January 2008, Edman was signed by English Premier League side Wigan Athletic for a fee of £500,000. The arrival of Edman was a good deal for Wigan Athletic, since the club did not find a good replacement after the departure of Leighton Baines, the previous summer. On the 22 March 2008, Edman was injured in a match against Blackburn Rovers, damaging his anterior crutiate ligament in his knee. This means he missed the rest of Wigan's season as well as Euro 2008.

International career

Edman has been a part of the Swedish national team setup since 2001. In 2002, he was part of the 2002 FIFA World Cup squad, but did not make any appearance and was only an unused substitute. He then began to feature more regularly after the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and at Euro 2004 and the 2006 FIFA World Cup, he started almost all of Sweden's games. He now has a huge amount of experience, with over 50 international caps to his name.

His only goal for the Swedish national team was in the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification against Bulgaria at the Vassil Levski Stadium on March 26, 2005. He scored a free-kick in this match.

Awards and honours

Swedish Defender of the Year ("Årets back"): 2004

Personal life

Erik Edman married Hanna Kjellsson in December 2006. Erik and Hanna have a son named Elias, born in September 2005. They have got a second baby in may 2008.

External links

* [http://www.wiganlatics.premiumtv.co.uk/ Wigan Athletic Official Website]
* [http://www.stade-rennais-online.com/Erik-Edman.html Erik Edman's Profile, Photo & Stats]
* [http://www.svenskfotboll.se/t9.aspx?id=5&p=343190 Erik Edman's profile (in Swedish)]
* [http://youtube.com/watch?v=R3UE14PegXI The stunning goal of Edman against Liverpool (video at YouTube)]