- Birthdate: 17 August 1970
- Birthplace: Kristiansund, Norway
- Other clubs: Clausenengen (1987-1988), Molde (1989-91), Rosenborg (1992-94), Wimbledon (1994-97), Tottenham Hotspur (1999-2002), Aston Villa (2002-03), Lyn (2004), Strømsgodset (2005-07)
- Signed from: Wimbledon
- Signed for LFC: £3.5m, 02.06.1997
- International debut: 31.10.1990 vs. Cameroon
- International caps: 86/19 (10/2 at LFC) - 07.06.2003
- Liverpool debut: 15.10.1997
- Last appearance: 16.05.1999
- Debut goal: 25.10.1997
- Last goal: 24.04.1999
- Contract expiry: 06.08.1999
- Win ratio: 48.98% W:24 D:11 L:14
- Games/goals ratio: 7
- Games/assists ratio: 16.33
- Total games/goals opposite LFC: 7 / 1
- League games / goals / assists: 37 / 7 / 3
- Total games / goals / assists: 49 / 7 / 3
Player Profile
After Leonhardsen was voted the Player's Player of the Year in 1994 while at Rosenborg he moved to Wimbledon where he impressed during his two and half year's stay and was twice voted the club's Player of the Year. Fiorentina and Newcastle were hot on his trail when Leonhardsen rejected a new contract offer from Wimbledon. He needed little persuasion to join his boyhood idols in the summer of 1997. It made the transition easier that he joined fellow Norwegian internationals Stig Inge Bjørnebye and Bjørn Tore Kvarme at Liverpool. They had also been his teammates at Rosenborg. Leonhardsen was delighted: "I supported Liverpool as a kid. We saw English games on Norwegian TV every week, and Liverpool were always on because they were the best. My heroes were Kevin Keegan and later Kenny Dalglish. I had Liverpool posters on my bedroom wall. I had some great times at Wimbledon but they are only a small club. I said when I first signed for them that one day I wanted to go to a big club and they said they understood."
Roy Evans liked Norwegians because of their work ethic and claimed: "The Scandinavian players in the Premiership often don't have a great deal of flair but Øyvind probably has the most." Leonhardsen was an industrious midfielder with an eye for a goal as proved in his first season at the club when he scored six goals in 36 matches. He wasn't though first-choice when his second season started once Gérard Houllier had moved in by Evans' side and he only played regularly at the end of the season. He didn't convince Houllier that he would be of any value to his side and he sold him to George Graham's Tottenham. He stayed at Spurs for three years, playing 72 games and scoring 11 goals, being frozen out of the first team following Glenn Hoddle's arrival before the 2001/02 season. "Leo" moved to Villa on a free in 2002 but only lasted a year there before he moved back to his homeland in 2004 and joined Lyn in Oslo. A year later Leonhardsen joined Strømsgodset where he won the Norwegian first division. He retired in 2007 at the age of 37.
Appearances per season
Season |
League |
FA |
LC |
Europe |
Other |
Total |
Totals |
37 |
1 |
6 |
5 |
0 |
49 |
1997-1998 |
28 |
1 |
5 |
2 |
0 |
36 |
1998-1999 |
9 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
13 |
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps |
Minutes |
Opponent |
4 |
278 |
Tottenham |
3 |
300 |
Newcastle United |
3 |
270 |
Manchester United |
3 |
242 |
Coventry City |
2 |
180 |
Blackburn Rovers |
2 |
180 |
Bolton Wanderers |
2 |
180 |
Leicester City |
2 |
180 |
Arsenal |
2 |
180 |
Sheffield Wednesday |
2 |
180 |
Strasbourg |
2 |
179 |
Crystal Palace |
2 |
175 |
Barnsley |
2 |
161 |
Wimbledon |
2 |
139 |
Chelsea |
2 |
134 |
Middlesbrough |
2 |
124 |
Aston Villa |
2 |
124 |
Everton |
2 |
110 |
Leeds United |
2 |
97 |
Kosice |
1 |
90 |
Derby |
1 |
90 |
Grimsby Town |
1 |
90 |
West Ham United |
1 |
58 |
Southampton |
1 |
44 |
WBA |
1 |
14 |
Valencia |
Total |
Started/substitutions |
42 |
Started |
7 |
On the bench |
7 |
Substitute |
11 |
Substituted |
Total |
Venue |
29 |
Home |
20 |
Away |
Goals per season
Season |
League |
FA |
LC |
Europe |
Other |
Total |
Totals |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
1997-1998 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
1998-1999 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
A more detailed look at the player's goalscoring
Assists per season
Season |
League |
FA |
LC |
Europe |
Other |
Total |
Totals |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
1997-1998 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
1998-1999 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
A more detailed look at the player's assists
Milestone Appearances
# |
Date |
Against |
Stadium |
Competition |
1 |
15.10.1997 |
WBA |
The Hawthorns |
League Cup |
Milestone Goals
# |
Minute |
Date |
Against |
Stadium |
Competition |
1 |
65 |
25.10.1997 |
Derby |
Anfield |
League |
Related Articles
An article from Press Association on 3rd of July 1997.
Scrapbook
In Person - Match programme May 1999
Øyvind Leonhardsen on the cover of Shoot! 21 February 1998
Oyvind's best is still yet to come!
The game of my life
Other Clubs
Club |
Season |
Club rank |
League apps |
League goals |
Total apps |
Total goals |
Clausenengen |
1987-1988 |
|
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Molde |
1989 |
Norway 1 |
22 |
5 |
22 |
5 |
Molde |
1990 |
Norway 1 |
21 |
2 |
21 |
2 |
Molde |
1991 |
Norway 1 |
21 |
2 |
21 |
2 |
Rosenborg |
1992 |
Norway 1 |
22 |
6 |
30 |
7 |
Rosenborg |
1993 |
Norway 1 |
19 |
6 |
25 |
8 |
Rosenborg |
1994 |
Norway 1 |
22 |
8 |
33 |
11 |
Wimbledon |
1994-1995 |
England Premier League |
20 |
4 |
23 |
5 |
Wimbledon |
1995-1996 |
England Premier League |
29 |
4 |
38 |
5 |
Wimbledon |
1996-1997 |
England Premier League |
27 |
5 |
41 |
6 |
Tottenham |
1999-2000 |
England Premier League |
22 |
4 |
28 |
6 |
Tottenham |
2000-2001 |
England Premier League |
25 |
3 |
31 |
5 |
Tottenham |
2001-2002 |
England Premier League |
7 |
0 |
13 |
0 |
Aston Villa |
2002-2003 |
England Premier League |
19 |
3 |
23 |
3 |
Lyn |
2004-2005 |
Norway 1 |
37 |
2 |
37 |
2 |
Strømsgodset |
2006-2007 |
Norway 1 |
41 |
7 |
41 |
7 |
Total |
354 |
61 |
427 |
74 |