Joachim Björklund

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Joachim Björklund

| image = Joachim Bjorklund.jpg

| upright = 1.2

| caption = Joachim Björklund

| fullname = Joachim Björklund

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|3|15|df=y}}

| birth_place = Växjö, Sweden

| height = {{height|ft=6|in=1}}

| position = Centre back

| currentclub = IFK Göteborg (assistant coach)

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Öster

| years1 = 1989–1990

| years2 = 1990–1992

| years3 = 1993–1995

| years4 = 1995–1996

| years5 = 1996–1998

| years6 = 1998–2001

| years7 = 2001–2002

| years8 = 2002–2004

| years9 = 2004–2005

| clubs1 = Öster

| clubs2 = Brann

| clubs3 = IFK Göteborg

| clubs4 = Vicenza

| clubs5 = Rangers

| clubs6 = Valencia

| clubs7 = Venezia

| clubs8 = Sunderland

| clubs9 = Wolverhampton Wanderers

| caps1 = 6

| caps2 = 56

| caps3 = 46

| caps4 = 33

| caps5 = 59

| caps6 = 57

| caps7 = 18

| caps8 = 57

| caps9 = 3

| goals1 = 0

| goals2 = 0

| goals3 = 0

| goals4 = 0

| goals5 = 0

| goals6 = 1

| goals7 = 0

| goals8 = 0

| goals9 = 0

| totalcaps = 335

| totalgoals = 1

| nationalyears1 = 1986–1987

| nationalteam1 = Sweden U16

| nationalcaps1 = 13

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 1988–1989

| nationalteam2 = Sweden U18

| nationalcaps2 = 10

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalyears3 = 1990–1992

| nationalteam3 = Sweden U21/O

| nationalcaps3 = 24

| nationalgoals3 = 0

| nationalyears4 = 1992–2000

| nationalteam4 = Sweden

| nationalcaps4 = 78

| nationalgoals4 = 0

| manageryears1 = 2018–2021

| managerclubs1 = Hammarby IF (assistant)

| manageryears2 = 2022–2024

| managerclubs2 = Sarpsborg 08 (assistant)

| manageryears3 = 2024–

| managerclubs3 = IFK Göteborg (assistant)

| medaltemplates = {{MedalTeam|{{fb|SWE}}}}

}}

Joachim Björklund ({{IPA|sv|ˈjuː.a.kɪm ˈbjœr.klʉnd}}; born 15 March 1971) is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a centre back. He is currently assistant coach for Allsvenskan club IFK Göteborg.

Beginning his playing career with Östers IF and SK Brann, Björklund went on to win three Swedish championships with IFK Göteborg before representing clubs in the Scottish Premiership, Serie A, La Liga, and the Premier League. A full international between 1992 and 2000, Björklund won 78 caps for the Sweden national team and was a part of the teams that competed at Euro 1992, Euro 2000, and finished third at the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

Club career

Taking the leap from junior team obscurity at Östers IF to becoming a star in Brann, Björklund was later sold to IFK Göteborg.{{cite news|url=http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/fotboll/article25572.ab|title=Monaco vill ha Joachim Björklund|last=Bjäreborn|first=Christoffer|date=19 June 2001|work=Aftonbladet|language=sv|access-date=22 February 2011}} There, his side achieved a surprise 3–1 victory over Manchester United in the group stage of the 1994–95 Champions League which ultimately helped them win Group A ahead of FC Barcelona, Manchester United, and Galatasaray before being eliminated in the quarter-finals by FC Bayern Munich. At the end of the following season, he was transferred to Vicenza in Serie A, and the following year to Rangers in the Scottish Premiership, for £2.2 million.{{cite news | url=http://rangers.co.uk/news/features/9iar20-joachim-signs-gers/? | title=9IAR20: Joachim Signs For Gers | publisher=Rangers.co.uk | work=Rangers Football Club | date=5 July 2016 }} where he won a Scottish league championship medal. He moved to Valencia for £2.5 million on 20 June 1998{{cite news | url=https://rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/day-jun-20/ | title=On This Day: Jun 20 | publisher=Rangers.co.uk | work=Rangers Football Club | date=20 June 2017 }} and spent three years at Valencia before joining Venezia in Italy, where he played for just one season. While at Valencia, he helped the team reach the 1999–2000 and 2000–01 UEFA Champions League finals.{{Cite web|date=25 May 2018|title=Joachim Björklund: "Vi mötte ju ett gäng tyskar"|url=https://www.offside.org/reportage/joachim-bjorklund-vi-motte-ju-ett-gang-tyskar/|access-date=19 October 2020|website=Fotbollsmagasinet Offside|language=sv-SE}}

Björklund joined Sunderland in January 2002 for £1.5 million,{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2428997/Black-Cats-snap-up-Bjorkland.html|title=Black Cats snap up Bjorkland|date=28 January 2002|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=22 February 2011}} but was unable to prevent them from being relegated in the following 2002–03 season. However the 2003–04 season was better, as he helped Sunderland finish third in Division One and reach the FA Cup semi finals yet his services were deemed to be no longer required by manager Mick McCarthy so he joined Wolverhampton Wanderers, who had just been relegated from the Premier League.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/sunderland/3742995.stm|title=McCartney's new deal|date=24 May 2004|work=BBC|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=22 February 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/wolverhampton_wanderers/3539564.stm|title=Wolves sign Bjorklund|date=5 August 2004|work=BBC|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=22 February 2011}} He left the club and retired after just one injury-hampered season that restricted him to just five appearances in total as the club failed to win an immediate return to the top flight.{{cite web|url=http://www.thefootballnetwork.net/main/s115/st72592.htm|title=Wolves Defender Set To Retire|last=Cooper|first=Scott|date=6 May 2005|work=thefootballnetwork.net|access-date=22 February 2011}}

International career

For many years he formed a successful central defensive partnership with Patrik Andersson for the Sweden national team. Björklund was selected for the UEFA Euro 1992,{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/92e-full.html|title=European Championship 1992 – Final Tournament – Full Details|last=Courtney|first=Barrie|date=22 June 2004|work=RSSSF|access-date=22 February 2011}} 1994 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000. At the 1994 FIFA World Cup, he helped the team finish third behind Brazil and Italy. He was also a member of the Sweden squad that competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.

Due to lack of playing time at his club Valencia, Björklund was dropped from the Sweden squad during the early stages of the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifying. Disappointed, he decided to retire from the national team at the age of 30.{{Cite web|title=Jockes hämnd: nobbar Blågult|url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/a/ngw2Rm|access-date=19 October 2020|website=Aftonbladet|date=22 May 2001 |language=sv}}

Post-playing career

Having finished his playing career, he worked as a scout for Valencia, mainly targeting the Nordic countries. He also worked as a pundit for Swedish Canal+, covering La Liga football, for several years.{{cite news|url=http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/sportitv/article7666022.ab|title=Björklunds nya jobb: tv-expert|last=Magnusson|first=Oskar|date=24 August 2010|work=Aftonbladet|language=sv|access-date=22 February 2011}}

=Assistant at Hammarby IF=

On 28 January 2018, Björklund was appointed assistant coach of Hammarby IF in Allsvenskan, under head coach Stefan Billborn.{{cite web|url=http://www.hammarbyfotboll.se/aktuellt/nyheter/joachim-bjorklund-ny-assisterande-tranare-i-hammarby/|title=Joachim Björklund ny assisterande tränare i Hammarby|work=Hammarby Fotboll|access-date=28 January 2018|archive-date=28 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211128232159/https://www.hammarbyfotboll.se/aktuellt/nyheter/joachim-bjorklund-ny-assisterande-tranare-i-hammarby/|url-status=dead}} In their first season, the club finished 4th in the table, after being placed first in the league mid-season.{{cite web|url=https://htv.solidtango.com/video/stefan-billborn-om-2018-del-1|title=Stefan Billborn om 2018 - del 1|publisher=Hammarby Fotboll|date=18 December 2018|access-date=15 February 2020|language=Swedish}}

In 2019, Hammarby started the league play in a mediocre fashion, but made a strong finish to the season (with eight straight wins during between match day 22 and 30) and ultimately finished 3rd in Allsvenskan. This meant that the club qualified for the 2020–21 UEFA Europa League, their first continental competition in over ten years.{{cite web|url=https://www.hammarbyfotboll.se/aktuellt/nyheter/atta-raka-rackte-inte-stora-silvret-till-bajen/|title=Åtta raka räckte inte – lilla silvret till Bajen|date=2 November 2019|publisher=Hammarby Fotboll|access-date=4 November 2019|language=Swedish|archive-date=4 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104173014/https://www.hammarbyfotboll.se/aktuellt/nyheter/atta-raka-rackte-inte-stora-silvret-till-bajen/|url-status=dead}}

On 5 January 2020, both Billborn and Björklund signed a three-year contract extension with Hammarby.{{cite web|url=https://www.hammarbyfotboll.se/aktuellt/nyheter/hammarby-forlanger-med-billborn-och-bjorklund/|title=Hammarby förlänger med Billborn och Björklund|date=5 January 2020|publisher=Hammarby Fotboll|access-date=15 February 2020|language=Swedish|archive-date=19 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919021827/https://www.hammarbyfotboll.se/aktuellt/nyheter/hammarby-forlanger-med-billborn-och-bjorklund/|url-status=dead}} In a season postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the side disappointedly finished 8th in the table.{{cite web|url=https://fotbollsthlm.se/hammarby/jesper-janssons-besked-stefan-billborn-tranar-hammarby-2021/|title=Jesper Janssons besked: Stefan Billborn tränar Hammarby 2021|publisher=Fotboll STHLM|language=Swedish|date=3 December 2020|accessdate=31 May 2021}} The club won 3–0 against Puskás Akadémia in the first round of the 2020–21 UEFA Europa League, but was eliminated from the tournament in the second round against Lech Poznań through a 0–3 loss.{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/match/2030268--hammarby-vs-puskas-akademia/|title=Hammarby 3 – 0 Puskás Akadémia|date=|accessdate=18 March 2021|publisher=UEFA|language=English}}{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/match/2030327--hammarby-vs-lech/|title=Hammarby 0 – 0 Lech|date=|accessdate=12 May 2021|publisher=UEFA|language=English}}

On 30 May 2021, Björklund won the 2020–21 Svenska Cupen with Hammarby IF, through a 5–4 win on penalties (0–0 after full-time) against BK Häcken in the final.{{cite web|url=https://www.svenskfotboll.se/nyheter/cuper/2021/05/hammarby-cupvinnare-efter-straffdrama/|title=Hammarby cupvinnare efter straffdrama|publisher=Swedish Football Association|date=30 May 2021|access-date=30 May 2021|language=sv}}{{cite web|url=https://www.hammarbyfotboll.se/aktuellt/nyheter/historisk-och-dramatisk-cupfinalseger-mot-hacken/|title=Historisk och dramatisk cupfinalseger mot Häcken|publisher=Hammarby Fotboll|date=30 May 2021|access-date=30 May 2021|language=sv|archive-date=16 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210616235344/https://www.hammarbyfotboll.se/aktuellt/nyheter/historisk-och-dramatisk-cupfinalseger-mot-hacken/|url-status=dead}} On 11 June 2021, Hammarby decided to terminate Stefan Billborn's contract, with the club placed 8th in the 2021 Allsvenskan table after eight rounds, although Björklund stayed in his position for the rest of the year.{{cite web|url=https://www.hammarbyfotboll.se/aktuellt/nyheter/hammarby-avslutar-samarbetet-med-stefan-billborn/|title=Hammarby avslutar samarbetet med Stefan Billborn|publisher=Hammarby Fotboll|date=11 June 2021|access-date=11 June 2021|language=sv|archive-date=20 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210620174359/https://www.hammarbyfotboll.se/aktuellt/nyheter/hammarby-avslutar-samarbetet-med-stefan-billborn/|url-status=dead}}

=Assistant at Sarpsborg 08=

On 9 January 2022, Björklund reunited with Stefan Billborn, becoming his assistant coach at Sarpsborg 08 in the Norwegian Eliteserien.{{cite web|url=https://www.hammarbyfotboll.se/aktuellt/nyheter/joachim-bjorklund-lamnar-gar-till-sarpsborg-08/|title=Joachim Björklund lämnar – går till Sarpsborg 08|publisher=Hammarby Fotboll|date=9 January 2022|access-date=9 January 2022|language=Swedish|archive-date=9 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220109155215/https://www.hammarbyfotboll.se/aktuellt/nyheter/joachim-bjorklund-lamnar-gar-till-sarpsborg-08/|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sarpsborg08.no/nyheter/joachim-bjorklund-inn-i-trenerteamet-til-sarpsborg-08|title=Joachim Björklund inn i trenerteamet til Sarpsborg 08|publisher=Sarpsborg 08|date=9 January 2022|access-date=9 January 2022|language=Norwegian}}

Personal life

He is the son of Sweden national team coach Karl-Gunnar Björklund, and the father of footballers Kalle Björklund who represented Hammarby IF, Västerås SK and Falkenberg FF and William Björklund who belonged to the Hammarby youth teams and now play for United IK Nordic.{{cite web|date=19 October 2018|title=Fotboll Sthlm möter Jocke Björklund: "Pappa är snabbast!"|url=https://fotbollsthlm.se/hammarby/fotboll-sthlm-moter-jocke-bjorklund-pappa-ar-sa-klart-snabbast/|access-date=16 February 2020|publisher=Fotboll STHLM|language=sv}} His maternal uncle is Tommy Svensson, the Sweden men's national football team manager from 1991 to 1997.

Career statistics

= International =

National team	Year	Apps
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year{{Cite web\|url=https://www.svenskfotboll.se/spelarfakta/joachim-bjorklund/3b605ee0-3741-4df0-9242-12ab8ca1592a/\|title=Joachim Björklund - Spelarstatistik - Svensk fotboll\|access-date=19 October 2020\|archive-date=23 January 2023\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230123111042/https://www.svenskfotboll.se/spelarfakta/joachim-bjorklund/3b605ee0-3741-4df0-9242-12ab8ca1592a/\|url-status=dead}}
rowspan="9" \|Sweden \|1992	9	0
1993	4	0
1994	18	0
1995	8	0
1996	8	0
1997	8	0
1998 \|6 \|0
1999 \|7 \|0
2000 \|9 \|0
colspan="2" \|Total\|\|78\|\|0

Honours

=Player=

IFK Göteborg

Allsvenskan: 1993, 1994, 1995

Rangers

Valencia

Copa del Rey: 1998–99
Supercopa de España: 1999
UEFA Champions League runner-up: 1999–2000, 2000–01
UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1998{{Cite web |url=http://www.uefa.com/Competitions/IntertotoCup/AllTimeStatistics/season%3D1998/Round%3D1200/match%3D55655/index.html|title=Valencia 2-1 Salzburg (Aggregate: 4 - 1)|publisher=UEFA |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040623195423/http://www.uefa.com/Competitions/IntertotoCup/AllTimeStatistics/season%3D1998/Round%3D1200/match%3D55655/index.html|access-date=5 November 2020|archive-date=23 June 2004}}