Per Nilsson (footballer)

Per Jörgen Nilsson (born 15 September 1982) is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. Starting off his career with IFK Timrå in 1998, he went on to represent GIF Sundsvall, AIK, Odd Greenland, 1899 Hoffenheim, and 1. FC Nürnberg before retiring at F.C. Copenhagen in 2016. A full international between 2001 and 2016, he won 16 caps for the Sweden national team.

Per Nilsson
Nilsson at Nürnberg in 2011.
Personal information
Full name Per Jörgen Nilsson
Date of birth (1982-09-15) 15 September 1982
Place of birth Härnösand, Sweden
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Youth career
1988–1991 Stigsjö IK
1992–1997 IFK Timrå
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998 IFK Timrå 10 (6)
1999–2001 GIF Sundsvall 41 (1)
2001–2004 AIK 66 (3)
2005–2007 Odd Grenland 58 (7)
2007–2010 1899 Hoffenheim 45 (0)
2010–2014 1. FC Nürnberg 73 (10)
2014–2016 Copenhagen 21 (0)
Total 314 (27)
International career
1998–1999 Sweden U16 14 (1)
2000 Sweden U18 5 (1)
2001–2004 Sweden U21 22 (1)
2001–2014 Sweden 16 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Sweden

Nilsson was born in Härnösand and started his career in Stigsjö IK youth team in 1988, staying with the club until 1991 when he made a move to IFK Timrå, mainly being part of the club's youth team he then made his debut for the club in 1998, this attracted attention from GIF Sundsvall, who signed the player prior to the 1999 season. During his time in GIF Sundsvall he helped the club up to Allsvenskan in 1999. Nilsson's playing in Sundsvall had again attracted attention, this time from Allsvenska AIK, who made a deal with GIF Sundsvall that Per Nilsson would move to the club prior to the 2002 season in 2001, however due to a series of different circumstances, as several key players left AIK, made AIK change the deal so that he could join the club already in the autumn of 2001.[1] Following his debut against IFK Norrköping he quickly established himself as a regular central defender, however a series of manager changes and other events made Per feel that he could not perform at top level.[1]

Norway and Germany

Following AIK's poor performance during the 2004 season saw the club relegated from Allsvenskan and Per Nilsson leave the club for Norwegian club Odd Grenland for approximately 3 million Norwegian kroner.[2] Odd Grenland rejected a £1 million offer from English side Sunderland AFC in August 2006.[3] It was widely expected that he would leave for a bigger club,[4] however no bids came until 13 July 2007 when it was announced that Nilsson signed a contract with 2. Bundesliga team 1899 Hoffenheim.[5] On 14 July 2010, Hoffenheim confirmed that they had sold Nilsson to Bundesliga rivals 1. FC Nürnberg.[6][7]

On 23 March 2014, the Danish club FC Copenhagen announced that they had signed Nilsson on a three-year contract.[8] On 15 December 2016, Nilsson officially announced his retirement as a player.[9]

In January 2017, RB Leipzig announced that Nilsson would be the assistant to sporting director Ralf Rangnick for the 2017/18 season.[10] As such, he initially took on tasks in team management for the first team. Since July 2018 he has been the sporting director of the U16 to U19.[11]

International career

Nilsson won a total of 16 caps for Sweden between 2001 and 2014.[12]

Honours

Copenhagen

Individual

References
  1. "Per Nilsson (född 1982) - Mittbacken 2001-04" (in Swedish). aik.se. Archived from the original on 7 March 2012. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
  2. "Per Nilsson klar för Odd Grenland" (in Swedish). fotbolldirekt.com. 22 December 2006. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
  3. "Nil Deal For Nilsson". sunderland-mad.co.uk. 18 August 2006. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
  4. "Proffsbevakade Per Nilsson floppade" (in Swedish). svt.se. 25 September 2006. Archived from the original on 12 June 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
  5. "Per Nilsson klar för Hoffenheim" (in Swedish). dn.se. 13 July 2007. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
  6. "Per Nilsson wechselt nach Nürnberg" (in German). achtzehn99.de. 14 June 2010. Retrieved 14 June 2010.
  7. "Mannschaftsspieler mit menschlichen Qualitäten" (in German). fcn.de. 14 June 2010. Retrieved 14 June 2010.
  8. Møbjerg Sørensen, Simon (23 March 2014). "Officielt: Per Nilsson tre år i FCK" (in Danish). Tipsbladet.dk. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  9. "FC Köpenhamns Per Nilsson lägger skorna på hyllan".
  10. "RB Leipzig: Ehemaliger Hoffenheimer Nilsson wird Rangnick-Assistent". Zeit.de. 24 January 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  11. "Trainerfrage geklärt: Ralf Rangnick wird neuer RBL-Cheftrainer!". dierotenbullen.com. 9 July 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  12. "Per Nilsson - Spelarstatistik - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se. (in Swedish). Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  13. "Spillerbørsen – Eliteserien 2006 / 2006" (in Norwegian). vglive.no. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
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