Jonas Thern
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Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Jonas Magnus Thern | ||
Date of birth | 20 March 1967 | ||
Place of birth | Falköping, Sweden | ||
Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder, Sweeper | ||
Youth career | |||
1982–1985 | Värnamo | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1985–1987 | Malmö FF | 41 | (6) |
1987 | Zürich | 2 | (1) |
1988–1989 | Malmö FF | 35 | (5) |
1989–1992 | Benfica | 100 | (10) |
1992–1994 | Napoli | 48 | (1) |
1994–1997 | Roma | 59 | (3) |
1997–1999 | Rangers | 23 | (5) |
Total | 308 | (31) | |
International career | |||
1987–1997 | Sweden | 75 | (6) |
Managerial career | |||
2000–2001 | Värnamo | ||
2002–2003 | Halmstads BK | ||
2010 | Värnamo | ||
2017 | Landskrona BoIS (assistant) | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Jonas Magnus Thern (born 20 March 1967) is a Swedish football manager and former professional player who played as a midfielder between 1985 and 1999. Thern also earned 75 caps and scored six goals for Sweden between 1987 and 1997. He captained the Sweden squad that finished third at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States. Thern's playing career took him from Malmö FF in Sweden to FC Zürich in Switzerland and further in Europe to Benfica in Portugal, Napoli and Roma in Italy and finally Rangers in Scotland where he finished his career. After his playing career Thern coached his youth club IFK Värnamo for two periods, between 2000 and 2001 and again in 2010 as well as Halmstads BK between 2002 and 2003. He has also acted as a youth coach at IFK Värnamo, a sports commentator as well as a teacher.
Club career
Born and raised in the town of Värnamo in southern central Sweden, Thern started his professional career in 1985 when he joined the classic Swedish club of Malmö FF, where he stayed for four years, earning him two titles in the 1986 and 1988 Allsvenskan. In 1989, he won the Guldbollen as Sweden's Footballer of the Year.
In 1989 he Benfica. He was part of a successful group of Scandinavian players that played for Benfica at the time, composed of Danish international Michael Manniche (1983–1987), and the Swedish "armada"; Mats Magnusson (1987–1992), Thern (1989–1992), Glenn Strömberg (1982–84) and Stefan Schwarz (1990–1994) alongside coach Sven-Göran Eriksson (1982–1984 and 1989–1992).
Thern went on to play in Italy for Napoli and Roma but moved to Scotland to join for Rangers on 1 July 1997, however, his career was cut short by injuries.
International career
For Sweden, he played in the 1990 FIFA World Cup and Euro 1992,[1] and then won the bronze medal in the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States.[2] Thern also competed for Sweden at the 1988 Summer Olympics.[3] Thern was the Sweden captain for seven years, between 1990 and 1997.
Coaching career
After he retired as a player he became head coach for IFK Värnamo between 2000 and 2001 and Halmstads BK 2001–2003.
He has also worked as a sports commentator and as a teacher.
Personal life
Jonas has a son, Simon, who is also a footballer. His daughter, Alicia, is an equestrian.
Career statistics
International
National team | Season | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
Sweden | |||
1987 | 2 | 0 | |
1988 | 10 | 3 | |
1989 | 8 | 1 | |
1990 | 4 | 1 | |
1991 | 6 | 1 | |
1992 | 9 | 0 | |
1993 | 4 | 0 | |
1994 | 11 | 0 | |
1995 | 6 | 0 | |
1996 | 8 | 0 | |
1997 | 7 | 0 | |
Total | 75 | 6 |
International goals
- Scores and results list Sweden's goal tally first.
# | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 12 January 1988 | Estadio Municipal de Maspalomas, Maspalomas | ![]() |
2–1 | 4–1 | Friendly |
2. | 4–1 | |||||
3. | 15 January 1988 | Estadio Municipal de Maspalomas, Maspalomas | ![]() |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
4. | 16 August 1989 | Malmö Stadion, Malmö | ![]() |
1–0 | 2–4 | Friendly |
5. | 27 May 1990 | Råsunda Stadium, Solna | ![]() |
6–0 | 6–0 | Friendly |
6. | 4 September 1991 | Råsunda Stadium, Solna | ![]() |
4–2 | 4–3 | Friendly |
Honours and awards
Malmö
- Allsvenskan: 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989
- Allsvenskan play-off: 1986, 1988
- Svenska Cupen: 1986, 1988
Benfica
- Portuguese Liga: 1990–91
- Portuguese SuperCup: 1989
- European Cup runner-up: 1989–90
Rangers
Sweden
- FIFA World Cup third place: 1994
Individual
- Guldbollen (Golden Ball): Best Swedish Player 1989
References
- ^ Hughes, Rob (10 June 1992). "Confidence and flair: Dutch favored in Euro 92". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
- ^ Ridley, Ian (17 July 1994). "Sweden are the third men". The Independent. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
- ^ "Jonas Thern Biography and Statistics". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
External links
- Jonas Thern at Soccerbase
- 1967 births
- Living people
- Association football midfielders
- Swedish footballers
- Sweden international footballers
- Malmö FF players
- FC Zürich players
- S.L. Benfica footballers
- S.S.C. Napoli players
- A.S. Roma players
- Rangers F.C. players
- Allsvenskan players
- Swiss Super League players
- Primeira Liga players
- Serie A players
- Scottish Football League players
- Scottish Premier League players
- 1990 FIFA World Cup players
- 1994 FIFA World Cup players
- UEFA Euro 1992 players
- Olympic footballers of Sweden
- Footballers at the 1988 Summer Olympics
- Swedish expatriate footballers
- Expatriate footballers in Switzerland
- Swedish expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland
- Expatriate footballers in Portugal
- Swedish expatriate sportspeople in Portugal
- Expatriate footballers in Italy
- Swedish expatriate sportspeople in Italy
- Expatriate footballers in Scotland
- Swedish expatriate sportspeople in the United Kingdom
- Swedish football managers
- IFK Värnamo managers
- Halmstads BK managers