| Mats Solheim | |
| Fullname: | Mats Goberg Solheim |
| Birth Date: | 3 December 1987 |
| Birth Place: | Loen, Norway |
| Height: | 1.78 m |
| Position: | Defender |
| Youthclubs1: | Loen |
| Years1: | –2004 |
| Clubs1: | Loen |
| Years2: | 2005–2006 |
| Clubs2: | Stryn |
| Years3: | 2006–2011 |
| Caps3: | 115 |
| Goals3: | 18 |
| Years4: | 2012–2014 |
| Caps4: | 50 |
| Goals4: | 5 |
| Years5: | 2015–2019 |
| Caps5: | 111 |
| Goals5: | 8 |
| Years6: | 2020–2021 |
| Caps6: | 40 |
| Goals6: | 3 |
Mats Goberg Solheim (born 3 December 1987) is a former Norwegian footballer who played as a defender.[1]
Solheim started his career at the local club Loen IL, continuing at Stryn TIL in the lower divisions. He initially played as a striker.[2] He attracted interest from the professional club Sogndal, then playing in the Norwegian second tier, during the summer of 2006. He subsequently joined the club and went on to enjoy a promotion to Tippeligaen four seasons later, in 2010.
During his time at Sogndal he got known as a utility player, being used in almost every outfield position. He has since established himself as a natural wing back on either flanks.[3]
Solheim played a total of 25 games, scoring 4 times, during the 2011 Tippeligaen-season. He attracted interest from several other Norwegian clubs after the successful campaign, but opted to move abroad, signing for Kalmar FF in the Swedish Allsvenskan.[4]
He had a rough start to his stint at Kalmar FF, when he injured his anterior cruciate ligament in February 2012 during the pre-season. He was forced to the sideline throughout the rest of the year.[5]
Solheim made his competitive debut for Kalmar on 2 April 2013 against Syrianska FC, on the first match day of the 2013 Allsvenskan. He crowned his debut for the side by scoring in a 3–0 victory.[2] He played as a regular at Kalmar during the upcoming two seasons, featuring in a total of 50 games in Allsvenskan, scoring on 5 occasions.
On 31 March 2015, the last day of the Swedish transfer window, Hammarby IF announced that they had signed Solheim on a three-year contract.[6] He reunited with his former manager Nanne Bergstrand, who first had brought him to Sweden, at the Stockholm-based outfit.
Solheim established himself as a first choice left defender at Hammarby during the 2015 season. He missed out on the whole first half of the 2016 season due to another, less serious, knee injury.[7]
In November 2019, Solheim returned to Norwegian football, joining Stabæk on a three-year contract.[8] He retired in August 2021 to become a banker.[9]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Sogndal | 2006 | 1. divisjon | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | ||
| 2007 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 18 | 3 | ||||
| 2008 | 28 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 5 | |||
| 2009 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 5 | |||
| 2010 | 22 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 24 | 1 | ||||
| 2011 | Eliteserien | 25 | 4 | 4 | 1 | — | 29 | 5 | |||
| Total | 115 | 18 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 125 | 19 | |||
| Kalmar | 2012 | Allsvenskan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2013 | 24 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | 25 | 4 | ||||
| 2014 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 27 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 50 | 5 | 2 | 1 | — | 52 | 6 | ||||
| Hammarby IF | 2015 | Allsvenskan | 26 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 27 | 2 | ||
| 2016 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 17 | 2 | ||||
| 2017 | 27 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 30 | 1 | ||||
| 2018 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 17 | 0 | ||||
| 2019 | 27 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | 30 | 4 | ||||
| Total | 111 | 8 | 10 | 1 | — | 121 | 9 | ||||
| Stabæk | 2020 | Eliteserien | 29 | 3 | — | — | 29 | 3 | |||
| 2021 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 12 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 40 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 41 | 3 | ||||
| Career total | 316 | 34 | 20 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 339 | 37 | |||