Gro Espeseth
Personal information
Full name Gro Espeseth[1]
Date of birth (1972-10-30) 30 October 1972 (age 51)
Place of birth Stord, Norway
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Youth career
Ådnamarka
1989–1990 IL Bjørnar
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1991–1998 IL Sandviken
1999–2000 Trondheims-Ørn 8 (0)
2001 New York Power 20 (1)
2007 IL Sandviken 1 (0)
International career‡
1991–2000 Norway 105 (9)
Medal record
Women's football
Representing  Norway
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2000 Sydney Team
Bronze medal – third place 1996 Atlanta Team
World Cup
Gold medal – first place Sweden 1995 Team
Silver medal – second place China 1991 Team
European Championship
Gold medal – first place Italy 1993 Team
Silver medal – second place Denmark 1991 Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:16, 20 September 2014 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14:16, 20 September 2014 (UTC)

Gro Espeseth (born 30 October 1972) is a former Norwegian footballer, world champion and olympic champion.

She played for the clubs Sandviken and Trondheims-Ørn, debuted for the Norwegian national team in 1991, and played 105 matches for the national team.

She received a bronze medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, and a gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.[2]

Club career

With Sandviken Espeseth won the 1995 Norwegian Women's Cup, scoring twice in the 3–2 final win over Trondheims-Ørn, including the extra time winner. She had an offer to join Japanese L. League club Suzuyo Shimizu F.C. Lovely Ladies, but the transfer fell through when she failed the medical.

Espeseth signed for the professional Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) ahead of the inaugural season in 2001. She was allocated to New York Power alongside compatriot Ann Kristin Aarønes. Knee damage meant that she was only able to play for one season before retiring.[3]

In 2007 Espeseth returned to football as an assistant coach with her former club Sandviken. Due to the unavailability of several players, she made a guest appearance as a player in July 2007, six years after her retirement.[4] She was substituted after 40 minutes of Sandviken's Toppserien 9–0 defeat by Røa IL.

Honours

Olympics

FIFA Women's World Cup

Personal life

Espeseth gave birth to son Brage in 2002.[5]

References

  1. ^ "Gro Espeseth". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 5 December 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  2. ^ "2000 Summer Olympics – Melbourne, Australia – Soccer" Archived 11 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved on 15 May 2008)
  3. ^ "Norway duo announce retirement". UEFA. 15 October 2001. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  4. ^ Langeland, Knut (6 July 2007). "- En ren gjesteopptreden" (in Norwegian). Bergens Tidende. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  5. ^ Jørstad, Atle (10 February 2014). "Gro Espeseth: Derfor er tiden med fotball forbi" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang. Retrieved 20 September 2014.

External links

FIFA Women's World Cup Silver Ball
FIFA Women's World Cup winning captains
Norway squads
Categories