Gunnar Gren

Gunnar Gren
Gren during the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden
Personal information
Full name Johan Gunnar Gren
Date of birth 31 October 1920
Place of birth Gothenburg, Sweden
Date of death 10 November 1991(1991-11-10) (aged 71)
Place of death Gothenburg, Sweden
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Forward, attacking midfielder
Youth career
Silverkällans
Strix
Lindholmens
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1937–1940 Gårda BK 54 (16)
1941–1949 IFK Göteborg 168 (79)
1949–1953 AC Milan 133 (38)
1953–1955 Fiorentina 55 (5)
1955–1956 Genoa 29 (2)
1956–1957 Örgryte 4 (0)
1963–1964 GAIS 22 (2)
1976 Oddevold 1 (0)
Total 466 (142)
International career
1939–1956 Sweden B 2 (0)
1940–1958 Sweden 57 (32)
Managerial career
1952 A.C. Milan
1956–1959 Örgryte
1960 IFK Göteborg
1963–1964 GAIS
1965–1966 Värnamo
1967 Redbergslids
1968–1969 GAIS
1970 Skogens
1973 Fässbergs
1976 Oddevold
Medal record
Men's Football
Representing  Sweden
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1948 London
FIFA World Cup
Runner-up 1958 Sweden
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Johan Gunnar Gren (pronounced [ˈɡɵ̌nːar ˈɡreːn]; 31 October 1920 – 10 November 1991)[1] was a Swedish professional football player and coach. He is best remembered for playing for IFK Göteborg and AC Milan.

A creative forward, known for his technical skill, vision, tactical intelligence, and passing ability as a playmaker, he was part of the famous "Gre-No-Li" trio of forwards at Milan and the Sweden national team. He was also capable of playing as an attacking midfielder, as an offensive–minded central midfielder, known as the mezzala role in Italian football jargon, or even as a striker.[2][3]

A full international between 1940 and 1958, he won 57 caps and scored 32 goals for the Sweden men's national team. He was a part of the Sweden team that won gold at the 1948 Summer Olympics, as well as the team that finished second at the 1958 FIFA World Cup. In 1946, he was awarded Guldbollen as Sweden's best footballer of the year. Gren is considered to be one of Sweden's greatest and most prolific football players;[4] a statue has been erected in his honor outside Gamla Ullevi stadium.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference sr was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "A.C. Milan Hall of Fame: Gunnar Gren". A.C. Milan. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  3. ^ Mura, Gianni (7 March 1997). "EFFETTO SIMONI 'SONO DI MODA MA NON VECCHIO'". La Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  4. ^ "10 Best Swedish Soccer Players of All Time". Soccer Mavericks. Retrieved 2 January 2024.