Gard Simenstad

{{short description|Norwegian footballer (born 1999)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Gard Simenstad

|fullname =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|4|12|df=y}}

|birth_place =

|height =

|position = Midfielder

|currentclub = Hamkam

|clubnumber = 18

|youthyears1 = –2014

|youthclubs1 = Vind

|youthyears2 = 2015–2016

|youthclubs2 = Gjøvik-Lyn

|years1 = 2016–2018

|clubs1 = Gjøvik-Lyn

|caps1 = 64

|goals1 = 14

|years2 = 2019–2023

|clubs2 = Raufoss

|caps2 = 86

|goals2 = 9

|years3 = 2024–

|clubs3 = Hamkam

|caps3 = 35

|goals3 = 3

|club-update = 5 June 2025

}}

Gard Simenstad (born 12 April 1999) is a Norwegian footballer who plays as a wing back or midfielder for Hamkam.

He started his youth career in Vind IL and then SK Gjøvik-Lyn. For the latter team he started his senior career, but experienced relegation from the 2016 2. divisjon.{{NFF|3816650}} In the summer of 2017, during a russ trip to Kos, he experienced the 2017 Aegean Sea earthquake.{{cite news|url=https://www.nrk.no/innlandet/_-folte-vi-var-i-livsfare-1.13611785|title=Guttegjeng fra Gjøvik: – Følte vi var i livsfare|last=Hagen|first=Trond Ivan|date=21 July 2017|publisher=NRK|language=no|access-date=6 November 2024}} After the 2018 season he started training with First Division club Raufoss IL. His older brother Stian already played for that team.{{cite news|url=https://www.raufossfotball.no/nyheter/gard-simenstad|title=En ny Simenstad på laget|date=9 December 2018|publisher=Raufoss IL|language=no|access-date=6 November 2024}}

Simenstad progressed from played a third of Raufoss' league games in 2019, to half of their league games in 2020.{{soccerway|gard-simenstad/593025}} He then lost the entire 2021 season due to long-term injury. He made a comeback in March 2022, in the cup game against Strømsgodset, where he also scored.{{cite news|url=https://www.oa.no/drommescoringen-som-betyr-mye-for-gard-22-etter-et-langt-skademareritt/s/5-35-1500089|title=Drømmescoringen som betyr mye for Gard (22) etter et langt skademareritt|work=Oppland Arbeiderblad|date=12 March 2022|language=no|access-date=6 November 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://www.oa.no/fra-frustrasjon-til-pur-glede-jeg-var-en-liten-tur-nedom-kjelleren/s/5-35-1936884|title=Fra frustrasjon til pur glede: – Jeg var en liten tur nedom kjelleren|work=Oppland Arbeiderblad|date=19 May 2024|author=Blystad, Arve Hovelstuen|language=no|access-date=6 November 2024}}

With Simenstad being a mainstay in the Raufoss team in 2022 and 2023, his contract was due to expire and he was followed by a number of teams, choosing to sign for Eliteserien club Hamkam.{{cite news|url=https://www.oa.no/bekrefter-mote-med-flere-klubber-en-larerik-prosess/s/5-35-1867370|title=Bekrefter møte med flere klubber: – En lærerik prosess|last=Hagen|first=Fredrik|date=22 December 2023|work=Oppland Arbeiderblad|language=no|access-date=6 November 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://www.tv2.no/direkte/s66ga/fotballborsen/6591521d6293203f2b0988cd/hamkam-hentet-vingback-fra-raufoss|title=HamKam hentet vingback fra Raufoss|date=31 December 2023|agency=NTB|publisher=TV 2|language=no|access-date=6 November 2024}} At Hamkam, Simenstad made a breakthrough and especially became known as one of Eliteserien's most proficient free kick takers. On 8 May he scored from about 25 metres against Vålerenga in the cup.{{cite news|url=https://www.nettavisen.no/sport/valerenga-til-kvartfinale-i-cupen-etter-straffedrama/s/5-95-1808896|title=Vålerenga til kvartfinale i cupen etter straffedrama|last=Tveito|first=Sjur|date=8 May 2024|work=Nettavisen|language=no|access-date=6 November 2024}} The NRK commentators Tete Lidbom and Carl-Erik Torp said, respectively: "It's David Beckham against Greece for England!" and "Give the man his own documentary film!".{{cite news|url=https://www.nrk.no/sport/ukjente-gard-_25_-sammenlignes-med-beckham-etter-drommescoring-1.16876305|title=Dommer innrømmer kjempetabbe: Annullerte scoring for hands fra spiller på feil lag|last=Hansen|first=Jonathan Simchai|display-authors=etal|date=8 May 2024|publisher=NRK|language=no|access-date=6 November 2024}} On 20 May he scored the winning goal against reigning champions Bodø/Glimt, and on 1 June he scored against Brann.{{cite news|url=https://www.nrk.no/innlandet/hamkam-med-sjokkseier-over-bodo_glimt-1.16889915|title=HamKam med sjokkseier over Bodø/Glimt|last=Hagen|first=Knut-Øyvind|display-authors=etal|date=20 May 2024|publisher=NRK|language=no|access-date=6 November 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://www.h-a.no/raste-mot-norske-dommere-etter-surt-tap-de-dommer-for-topplagene-de-er-feige/s/5-139-1497731|title=Raste mot norske dommere etter surt tap: – De dømmer for topplagene, de er feige|date=1 June 2024|work=Hamar Arbeiderblad|language=no|access-date=6 November 2024}} Comparisons to Trent Alexander-Arnold and James Ward Prowse were drawn as well.{{cite news|url=https://www.tv2.no/sport/fotball/far-ros-trent-alexander-arnold-pa-steroider/16700334/|title=Får ros: – Trent Alexander-Arnold på steroider|last=Hovland|first=Tobias|display-authors=etal|date=21 May 2024|publisher=TV 2|language=no|access-date=6 November 2024}}