His love affair with football started when he was a little boy. He refused to move to a city where he could not play football. His parents complied and Swede Fredrik Ljungberg went on to become an Arsenal legend and a household name among football fans across the world. He played a key part in the historic season when the Arsenal side bagged the English premiership trophy without losing a single match and earning the title ‘Invincibles’. He is also one of the marquee players of the Indian super league, an Indian professional football league. In the city for the launch of the Arsenal kits by Puma, he talked about professional football and his varied interests. He says, “I am part of the league. It is a challenging assignment. It gives me an opportunity to learn more about India and its culture. Being part of an Arsenal dressing room with 14 nationalities was a learning experience.”
He adds, “At a professional level, I want to give back to the sport that has given me everything I wanted. I like training children and want to coach more. I want to share my experiences and help the young players develop new skills. I see a great interest for the sport and a good talent base as well in India” On the never ending club vs. country debate, Ljungberg says, “They are very different things. Club teams tend to be much stronger since you can buy the best players. It also helps that club football happens all year around. When you play for national team, you do not get to spend as much time with the team.”
He adds, “I enjoy playing for the country because of the prestige and honour attached to it. You get goose bumps when you hear the national anthem being played. The world cup is always a very prestigious tournament.”
Ljungberg reckons Arsenal has a good shot at winning trophies this year. “We were under some financial strain after the Emirates stadium was built. However, we have recovered and have been buying some good players. I am looking forward to a good season and I hope Arsenal wins. I hope the media does not overhype or take down a player too much. It results in unreal expectations.”
“Many people inspired me to take up professional football. My dad was a professional footballer. I owe much of my success to my coach when I was a small child. It is important to get the skills right in your childhood. Physical training can come much later. I always tell the children I train to focus on honing their skills first and stamina later.”
