Marcus Olsson Explained

Marcus Olsson
Upright:1.1
Fullname:Marcus Jonas Munuhe Olsson[1]
Birth Date:17 May 1988
Birth Place:Gävle, Sweden
Height:1.80 m
Position:Left-back
Currentclub:Halmstad
Clubnumber:21
Youthyears1:–2006
Youthclubs1:Högaborgs BK
Years1:2006–2007
Clubs1:Högaborgs BK
Caps1:1
Goals1:1
Years2:2008–2011
Clubs2:Halmstad
Caps2:100
Goals2:12
Years3:2012–2016
Caps3:104
Goals3:1
Years4:2016–2019
Caps4:61
Goals4:1
Years5:2020
Clubs5:Helsingborg
Caps5:2
Goals5:0
Years6:2022–
Clubs6:Halmstad
Caps6:44
Goals6:1
Nationalyears1:2009
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2012
Nationalteam2:Sweden
Nationalcaps2:2
Nationalgoals2:0
Club-Update:31 July 2024

Marcus Jonas Munuhe Olsson (born 17 May 1988) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder and a left-back for Halmstad.

Club career

Halmstads BK

Born in Gävle, Sweden, Olsson started his career at Högaborgs BK. In 2008, he signed a contract with Halmstad,[2] replacing Martin Fribrock as left winger as Fribrock departed for Esbjerg fB in the summer of 2008. Mainly featured as left winger, he also used as a forward in several games, during Josep Clotet Ruiz time at Halmstad and the lack of a natural left side defender, Olsson and Kujtim Bala took turns on playing on the position.[3] As Halmstads BK was relegated from Allsvenskan in 2011, Marcus announced that he would not sign a new contract with the club and that he would start searching for a new club to play for.[4]

Blackburn Rovers

After rejecting a contract from Djurgårdens IF,[5] and being linked to Standard Liège and Viking FK,[6] [7] Blackburn Rovers confirmed on 31 January that Olsson had signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the club, joining his twin brother there.[8]

Marcus Olsson made his debut for Blackburn Rovers in the 3–0 away defeat to Manchester City in the Premier League on 25 February 2012, playing on the left wing, in front of his twin Martin who played at left back, with both completing a full 90 minutes.[9] He scored his first goal for Blackburn in a 3–3 draw with Leeds United on 1 September 2012.[10]

Olsson was released by Rovers following the conclusion of his contract with the club on 1 July 2014, but after lengthy negotiations signed a new contract for the club on 11 July.[11]

He was voted Blackburn Rovers player of the season for the 2014–15 season.[12]

Derby County

On 26 January 2016, Olsson was transferred from Blackburn to Derby County for an undisclosed fee, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract.[13]

Olsson played his full debut on 6 February 2016 against Fulham, scoring an own goal after 17 minutes.[14] He scored his first goal for the club in a 1–0 win over Nottingham Forest on 19 March 2016.[15]

He was released by Derby County at the end of the 2018–19 season.[16]

Return to Halmstads BK

Olsson missed most of the 2020 season and all of 2021 season due to cruciate ligament injury. Upon recovering, on 28 January 2022 he returned to Halmstad.[17]

International career

Marcus Olsson was called up to the annual January tour of the Sweden national team in 2012, facing Bahrain and Qatar U23.[18] He made his national team debut against Bahrain when he came on as a substitute for Tobias Hysén at half-time,[19] he made his second appearance against Qatar in the following match, again coming on as a substitute at half-time, this time replacing Jiloan Hamad.[20]

Personal life

His twin brother Martin Olsson is also a professional footballer and plays for Malmö FF. Their brother-in-law is former Dallas Mavericks basketball player Dirk Nowitzki, who married their older sister Jessica.[21]

Career statistics

Club

[22]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Halmstad2008[23] Allsvenskan21100211
2009Allsvenskan20420224
2010Allsvenskan30410314
2011Allsvenskan29221313
Total100115110512
Blackburn Rovers2011–12Premier League1200000120
2012–13Championship2314010281
2013–14Championship80001090
2014–15Championship4104000450
2015–16Championship2000000200
Total104180201141
Derby County2015–16Championship161000020181
2016–17Championship30 01002020350
2017–18Championship1501000160
2018–19Championship0000001010
Total611202050701
Helsingborgs2020Allsvenskan1101000120
2021Superettan00200020
Total11030140
Halmstad2022Superettan1001000110
2023Allsvenskan1700000170
Total27010280
Career total30313191405031814

Honours

Individual

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: EFL: Retained list: 2015/16 . English Football League . 21 . 29 June 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161202052144/http://www.efl.com/documents/professional-retained-report-2015-16549-3151378.pdf . 2 December 2016.
  2. Web site: Från HBK till HBK. 12 April 2008. 31 January 2012. hbk.se. sv. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20080613193203/http://www.hbk.se/extra/news/?module_instance=1&id=2617. 13 June 2008.
  3. Web site: Olsson vill radera Halmstads 0–13. https://archive.today/20120710021610/http://hallandsposten.se/sport/hbk/1.1224319-olsson-vill-radera-halmstads-0-13. dead. 10 July 2012. 23 May 2011. 31 January 2012. hallandsposten.se. sv.
  4. Web site: Spelarflykt hotar Halmstads BK: "Superettan lockar inte". 25 September 2011. 31 January 2012. fotbolltransfers.com. sv.
  5. Web site: Uppgifter: "Marcus Olsson nobbar Djurgårdens IF". 2 November 2011. 31 January 2012. fotbolltransfers.com. sv.
  6. Web site: Marcus Olsson bekräftar: "Standard Liege intresserat". 22 January 2012. 31 January 2012. fotbolltransfers.com. sv.
  7. Web site: Viking Stavanger bekräftar sitt intresse för Marcus Olsson. 25 January 2012. 31 January 2012. fotbolltransfers.com. sv.
  8. Web site: Marcus make Rovers move . 31 January 2012 . 31 January 2012 . Blackburn Rovers F.C . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120202203710/http://www.rovers.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10303~2594567%2C00.html . 2 February 2012 .
  9. Web site: Manchester City 3–0 Blackburn. 25 February 2012. BBC Sport. 7 December 2016.
  10. Web site: Leeds 3–3 Blackburn. BBC. 1 September 2012 . 5 January 2013.
  11. Web site: Olsson signs one-year Blackburn extension. 7 December 2016.
  12. Web site: Rovers star Markus Olsson has been named Player of the Year for 2014–15. Blackburn Rovers F.C.. 7 December 2016. 2 May 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150502151928/http://www.rovers.co.uk/news/article/markus-olsson-blackburn-rovers-player-of-the-year-2434824.aspx. dead.
  13. News: Marcus Olsson: Derby County sign Blackburn Rovers defender. 26 January 2016. BBC Sport. 26 January 2016.
  14. Web site: Match at Craven Cottage, London. Fulham FC. 6 February 2016.
  15. News: Derby 1–0 Nottm Forest. 19 March 2016. BBC Sport. BBC. 20 March 2016.
  16. Web site: Ashley Cole: Former England left-back set to retire after Derby exit. 3 June 2019. 4 June 2019. BBC Sport.
  17. Halmstad. Marcus tillbaka i HBK. 28 January 2022. 12 April 2022. sv.
  18. Web site: Med A-landslaget till Qatar. 14 December 2011. 31 January 2012. hbk.se. sv. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130922190245/http://www.hbk.se/extra/news/?module_instance=1&id=9259. 22 September 2013.
  19. Web site: Herr: 2–0 mot Bahrain i Doha. 18 January 2012. 31 January 2012. svenskfotboll.se. sv.
  20. Web site: Storseger mot Qatar. 23 January 2012. 31 January 2012. svenskfotboll.se. sv.
  21. Web site: 31 July 2012. NBA Star, Dirk Nowitzki, Weds Fiancee Jessica Olsson in Kenyan Traditional Ceremony -Munaluchi Bride. 7 December 2016.
  22. Web site: M.Olsson. 19 September 2023.
  23. Web site: M. Olsson. Soccerway. 22 May 2018.
  24. News: Player of the year Markus Olsson opens contract talks with Blackburn Rovers . Paul Wheelock . Lancashire Telegraph . 1 December 2015 . 27 October 2023.