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Olof Mellberg
Erik Olof Mellberg (pronounced [ˈûːlɔf ˈmɛ̂lːbærj]; born 3 September 1977) is a Swedish football manager and former professional player.
During his career, Mellberg played as a defender, with his longest spell being at Premier League club Aston Villa. He also played in Sweden, Spain, Italy, Greece and Denmark, for clubs including Juventus and Olympiacos.
Mellberg played for Sweden at the World Cup in 2002 and 2006, as well as the European Championship in 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012. A former captain of the national team, he scored eight goals in 117 caps between 2000 and 2012.
Mellberg began managing Brommapojkarna in 2015 and won the third and second divisions in consecutive seasons before managing them in Allsvenskan in a later spell. He also led Helsingborg in his country's top flight, and was manager of St. Louis City SC of Major League Soccer in 2025.
Erik Olof Mellberg was born in Gullspång, Sweden, on 3 September 1977 to parents Erik and Berit. Mellberg's mother Berit was a physical education teacher who passed on her love of sport to her son. As a youth, Mellberg enjoyed playing tennis and dreamed of Wimbledon rather than the World Cup. Mellberg was something of a tennis prodigy and it was not until he was 14 that he began to focus on football.
Mellberg played for local side Gullspång before being picked up by Degerfors of the Allsvenskan. After being relegated, he joined capital club AIK, who won the league title in 1998. He then signed for Spanish club Racing de Santander, where he played regularly over three seasons, ending with relegation from La Liga in 2000–01.
In July 2001, Mellberg signed a five-year contract with Aston Villa of England's Premier League, for an estimated fee of £5 million. He made his debut on 18 August as the season began with a goalless draw away to Tottenham Hotspur, in which he blocked a shot by Les Ferdinand and headed a chance against the crossbar. On 27 September, he left on a stretcher with an ankle injury shortly before half time in a UEFA Cup first round elimination by NK Varteks of Croatia.
On 16 September 2002, in the Second City derby away to Birmingham City, Mellberg took a throw-in to his goalkeeper Peter Enckelman, and the ball rolled into the goal. Referee David Elleray ruled that Enckelman made light contact with the ball as it rolled in, thereby making it a valid goal as a goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in; Birmingham City won 3–0. Mellberg criticised the decision in an interview with Sweden's Expressen. Mellberg scored his first goal for Villa on 26 October, a header to open a 1–1 draw away to eventual champions Manchester United.
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Olof Mellberg
Erik Olof Mellberg (pronounced [ˈûːlɔf ˈmɛ̂lːbærj]; born 3 September 1977) is a Swedish football manager and former professional player.
During his career, Mellberg played as a defender, with his longest spell being at Premier League club Aston Villa. He also played in Sweden, Spain, Italy, Greece and Denmark, for clubs including Juventus and Olympiacos.
Mellberg played for Sweden at the World Cup in 2002 and 2006, as well as the European Championship in 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012. A former captain of the national team, he scored eight goals in 117 caps between 2000 and 2012.
Mellberg began managing Brommapojkarna in 2015 and won the third and second divisions in consecutive seasons before managing them in Allsvenskan in a later spell. He also led Helsingborg in his country's top flight, and was manager of St. Louis City SC of Major League Soccer in 2025.
Erik Olof Mellberg was born in Gullspång, Sweden, on 3 September 1977 to parents Erik and Berit. Mellberg's mother Berit was a physical education teacher who passed on her love of sport to her son. As a youth, Mellberg enjoyed playing tennis and dreamed of Wimbledon rather than the World Cup. Mellberg was something of a tennis prodigy and it was not until he was 14 that he began to focus on football.
Mellberg played for local side Gullspång before being picked up by Degerfors of the Allsvenskan. After being relegated, he joined capital club AIK, who won the league title in 1998. He then signed for Spanish club Racing de Santander, where he played regularly over three seasons, ending with relegation from La Liga in 2000–01.
In July 2001, Mellberg signed a five-year contract with Aston Villa of England's Premier League, for an estimated fee of £5 million. He made his debut on 18 August as the season began with a goalless draw away to Tottenham Hotspur, in which he blocked a shot by Les Ferdinand and headed a chance against the crossbar. On 27 September, he left on a stretcher with an ankle injury shortly before half time in a UEFA Cup first round elimination by NK Varteks of Croatia.
On 16 September 2002, in the Second City derby away to Birmingham City, Mellberg took a throw-in to his goalkeeper Peter Enckelman, and the ball rolled into the goal. Referee David Elleray ruled that Enckelman made light contact with the ball as it rolled in, thereby making it a valid goal as a goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in; Birmingham City won 3–0. Mellberg criticised the decision in an interview with Sweden's Expressen. Mellberg scored his first goal for Villa on 26 October, a header to open a 1–1 draw away to eventual champions Manchester United.
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