Runar Espejord
{{short description|Norwegian footballer (born 1996)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Runar Espejord
| image =
| full_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|2|26|df=y}}{{Soccerway|runar-espejord/270642}}
| birth_place = Tromsø, Norway
| position = Forward
| currentclub = Haugesund
| clubnumber = 11
| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2012 |youthclubs1 = Tromsø
| years1 = 2013–2019 | clubs1 = Tromsø | caps1 = 91 | goals1 = 19
| years2 = 2020–2022 | clubs2 = Heerenveen | caps2 = 6 | goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2020–2021 | clubs3 = → Tromsø (loan) | caps3 = 22 | goals3 = 5
| years4 = 2022–2024 | clubs4 = Bodø/Glimt | caps4 = 36 | goals4 = 12
| years5 = 2025–| clubs5 = Haugesund | caps5 = 7 | goals5 = 1
| nationalyears1 = 2012
| nationalteam1 = Norway U16
| nationalcaps1 = 2
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2013
| nationalteam2 = Norway U17
| nationalcaps2 = 10
| nationalgoals2 = 5
| nationalyears3 = 2014
| nationalteam3 = Norway U18
| nationalcaps3 = 11
| nationalgoals3 = 8
| nationalyears4 = 2015
| nationalteam4 = Norway U19
| nationalcaps4 = 6
| nationalgoals4 = 2
| nationalyears5 = 2017–2018
| nationalteam5 = Norway U21
| nationalcaps5 = 4
| nationalgoals5 = 2
| club-update = 5 June 2025
| nationalteam-update =
}}
Runar Espejord (born 26 February 1996) is a Norwegian professional footballer who plays as a striker. Currently plays for Haugesund.{{cite news|url=https://www.vg.no/sport/i/VzeenV/runar-espejord-forlater-bodoe-glimt|title=Runar Espejord forlater Bodø/Glimt|language=no|last=Christiansen|first=Synne Sofie|publisher=VG|date=19 December 2024|access-date=6 February 2025}}
Career
=Tromsø=
After playing for Tromsø at different youth level's, Espejord started his professional career in 2013 with a game against Follo in the Norwegian Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.fotball.no/fotballdata/kamp/?fiksId=5852899|title=Kampreferat: Tromsø - Follo|language=no|publisher=NFF|access-date=6 February 2025}} After playing in several of Tromsø's UEFA Europa League games later that season, he scored his first goal in another cup tie against Bodø/Glimt in May 2014.{{cite web|url=https://www.fotball.no/fotballdata/kamp/?fiksId=6082395|title=Kampreferat: Tromsø - Bodø/Glimt|language=no|publisher=NFF|access-date=6 February 2025}}
In 2018, Espejord became the club's top scorer for the season, with eight goals in total, six in the league, and two in the cup.{{NFF|2531970}}
=Heerenveen=
On 20 December 2019, it was announced that Espejord would join Heerenveen for 2.5 years on 1 January 2020.{{cite web |url=https://www.tv2.no/sport/11082833/|language=Norwegian|title=Espejord klar for Heerenveen|work=tv2.no |date=20 December 2019 |publisher=TV 2 |accessdate=20 December 2019}}
On 22 September 2020, only half a season after leaving Tromsø, he rejoined Tromsø on loan until 31 December 2020. The deal was later extended twice, to also include all of Tromsø's 2021 season.{{cite news|url=https://www.aftenposten.no/sport/fotball/i/EpoXRG/her-er-espejord-paa-plass-i-tromsoe-tar-loennskutt-for-aa-skyte-til-opp-i-eliteserien|title=Her er Espejord på plass i Tromsø: Tar lønnskutt for å skyte TIL opp i Eliteserien|language=no|last=Sivertsen|first=Øyvind|publisher=Aftenposten|date=22 September 2020|access-date=6 February 2025}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nettavisen.no/sport/espejord-forlenger-laneavtalen-med-tromso/s/12-95-3424160490|title=Espejord forlenger låneavtalen med Tromsø|language=no|publisher=Nettavisen|date=27 July 2021|access-date=6 February 2025}}
=Bodø/Glimt=
Before the start of the 2022 season, Espejord signed for the current Eliteserien champions Bodø/Glimt on a three-year contract.{{cite news|url=https://www.nrk.no/nordland/tidligere-tromso-spiller-runar-espejord-klar-for-bodo_glimt-etter-til-utlan-fra-heerenveen-1.15807043|title=Tidligere Tromsø spiller Runar Espejord klar for Bodø/Glimt etter TIL utlån fra Heerenveen|language=no|last1=Budalen|first1=Andreas|last2=Trygstad|first2=Andreas Nilsen|publisher=NRK|date=12 January 2025|access-date=6 February 2025}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nettavisen.no/sport/bodo-glimt-bekrefter-henter-espejord-fra-heerenveen/s/12-95-3424230483|title=Bodø/Glimt bekrefter: henter Espejord fra Heerenveen|language=no|last=Richvoldsen|first=Adrian|publisher=Nettavisen|date=12 January 2022|access-date=6 February 2025}} Espejord's first match for the club came against Celtic in the UEFA Conference League knockout round play-offs, where he both scored and had an assist.{{cite news|url=https://www.eurosport.no/fotball/uefa-conference-league/2021-2022/bodo-glimt-med-ny-europa-skalp-stilnet-54-000-pa-celtic-park_sto8802170/story.shtml|title=Bodø/Glimt med ny Europa-skalp – stilnet 54 000 på Celtic Park|language=no|last=Opphus|first=Joakim|publisher=Eurosport|date=18 February 2025|access-date=6 February 2025}}
After several different injuries, keeping Espejord out for major parts of his career at Bodø/Glimt, the club announced that he would be released at the end of the 2024 season.{{cite news|url=https://www.vg.no/sport/i/VzeenV/runar-espejord-forlater-bodoe-glimt|title=Runar Espejord forlater Bodø/Glimt|language=no|last=Christiansen|first=Synne Sofie|publisher=VG|date=19 December 2024|access-date=6 February 2025}}
=Haugesund=
In March 2025 Espejord signed a one-year contract with Haugesund.{{cite news|url=https://www.fvn.no/sport/i/gwO77L/ny-klubb-for-espejord|title=Ny klubb for Espejord|language=no|publisher=Fædrelandsvennen|date=10 March 2025|access-date=31 March 2025}}
Personal life
Espejord was born in Tromsø as a son of former Tromsø player Lars Espejord.{{cite news|title=- Runar kan ta meg igjen!|last=Johansen|first=Torje D.|date=29 September 2015|work=Nordlys|page=26|language=Norwegian}}
Espejord's characteristic mullet have several times caused attention. He cites one of his favorite artists having one as his inspiration for getting the haircut.{{cite news|url=https://www.itromso.no/sport/i/qWkg8o/at-til-vant-var-en-ting-responsen-espejord-fikk-handlet-om-noe-helt-annet-hva-i-helv-styrer-han-med|title=At TIL vant var én ting. Responsen Espejord fikk handlet om noe helt annet: «Hva i helv... styrer han med?»|language=no|last=Sivertsen|first=Øyvind|publisher=iTromsø|date=5 October 2021|access-date=6 February 2025}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nrk.no/nordland/runar-espejord-fra-bodo_glimt-setter-hockeysveis-og-bart-pa-trend-kartet-1.15861922|title=Fotballspelaren Espejord leiar an i hårtrend: – Synest håret hans er episk|language=no|last=Olaisen|first=Sofie Retterstøl|publisher=NRK|date=19 February 2022|access-date=6 February 2025}}
Career statistics
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||
| rowspan=2|Club
!rowspan=2|Season !colspan=3|League !colspan=2|National cup{{efn|Includes Norwegian Cup, KNVB Cup}} !colspan=2|Europe !colspan=2|Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan=8|Tromsø
|2013 |0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4{{efn|name=UEL|Appearances in UEFA Europa League}} | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2014
|14 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3{{efn|name=UEL}} | 1 | 20 | 2 | |
| 2015
|rowspan=5|Eliteserien |12 | 3 | 1 | 1 | colspan=2|— | 13 | 4 | ||
| 2016
|22 | 5 | 2 | 1 | colspan=2|— | 24 | 6 | ||
| 2017
|6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 6 | 0 | ||
| 2018
|19 | 6 | 2 | 2 | colspan=2|— | 21 | 8 | ||
| 2019
|18 | 5 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 18 | 5 | ||
| colspan=2|Total
!91 | 19 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 107 | 25 | |
| rowspan=3|Heerenveen
|rowspan=2|Eredivisie |6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 8 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 0 | 0 | ||
| colspan=2|Total
!6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 8 | 0 | ||
| rowspan=3|Tromsø (loan)
|2020 |1. divisjon |5 | 5 | colspan="2"|— | colspan=2|— | 5 | 5 | |||
| 2021
|Eliteserien |17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 18 | 0 | ||
| colspan=2|Total
!22 | 5 | 1 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 23 | 5 | ||
| rowspan=4|Bodø/Glimt
|2022 |rowspan="3"|Eliteserien |27 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 19{{efn|Six appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa Conference League, seven appearances and three goals in UEFA Champions League, and seven appearances in UEFA Europa League}} | 4 | 50 | 18 | |
| 2023
|8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8{{efn|Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League}} | 1 | 18 | 3 | |
| 2024
|1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3{{efn|name=UEL}} | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| colspan=2|Total
!36 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 30 | 5 | 72 | 21 | |
| Haugesund
|2025 |Eliteserien |7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 7 | 1 | ||
| colspan=3|Career total
!162 | 37 | 18 | 9 | 37 | 6 | 217 | 52 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
References
{{reflist}}
{{FK Haugesund squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Espejord, Runar}}
Category:Footballers from Tromsø
Category:Norwegian men's footballers
Category:21st-century Norwegian sportsmen
Category:Norway men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Norway men's youth international footballers
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Norwegian First Division players
Category:SC Heerenveen players
Category:FK Bodø/Glimt players
Category:Norwegian expatriate men's footballers
Category:Norwegian expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands