Birth Name: | Björn Axel Göte Nordqvist |
Birth Date: | 6 October 1942 |
Birth Place: | Hallsberg, Sweden |
Position: | Centre back |
Youthclubs1: | IFK Hallsberg |
Years1: | 1961–1972 |
Clubs1: | IFK Norrköping |
Caps1: | 245 |
Goals1: | 7 |
Years2: | 1972–1975 |
Clubs2: | PSV Eindhoven |
Caps2: | 101 |
Goals2: | 0 |
Years3: | 1975–1978 |
Clubs3: | IFK Göteborg |
Caps3: | 83 |
Goals3: | 2 |
Years4: | 1979–1980 |
Clubs4: | Minnesota Kicks |
Caps4: | 61 |
Goals4: | 1 |
Years5: | 1979–1981 |
Clubs5: | Minnesota Kicks (indoor) |
Caps5: | 28 |
Goals5: | 7 |
Years6: | 1980–1983 |
Clubs6: | Örgryte IS |
Caps6: | 72 |
Goals6: | 0 |
Years7: | 1984 |
Clubs7: | Landskrona BoIS |
Caps7: | 5 |
Goals7: | 0 |
Years8: | 1988 |
Clubs8: | Hovås IF |
Nationalyears1: | 1960–1964 |
Nationalteam1: | Sweden U23 |
Nationalcaps1: | 11 |
Nationalgoals1: | 1 |
Nationalyears2: | 1962–1963 |
Nationalteam2: | Sweden B |
Nationalcaps2: | 4 |
Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
Nationalyears3: | 1963–1978[1] |
Nationalteam3: | Sweden |
Nationalcaps3: | 115 |
Nationalgoals3: | 0 |
Björn Axel Göte Nordqvist (born 6 October 1942) is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a defender.
During the 1960s and 1970s Nordqvist was captain of the Sweden national team. He played at the 1970, 1974 and 1978 FIFA World Cups and in total won 115 international caps, which was recognized a world record at the time. It was discovered only in 2021 that Soh Chin Ann of Malaysia surpassed Bobby Moore's then record in 1977 and eventually also concluded his career with 195 caps in 1984, thereby annulling the putative records of Nordqvist and his successors throughout the decades. Nordqvist was the most capped Swedish player until Thomas Ravelli overtook by playing his 116th game for Sweden at the semifinal of the 1994 FIFA World Cup. At club level, Nordqvist won the Swedish Championship title with IFK Norrköping in 1962 and 1963 and also won Dutch league and cup winners medals with PSV Eindhoven. He was awarded the Guldbollen as Swedish footballer of the year in 1968 and was later inducted to the Hall of Fame of Swedish football.
Nordqvist also played ice hockey and bandy on a national level.
Individual
1977[2]