Mats Solheim

Mats Goberg Solheim (born 3 December 1987) is a former Norwegian footballer who played as a defender.^[2]

Mats Solheim

Solheim playing for Hammarby in 2015
Personal information
Full name	Mats Goberg Solheim
Date of birth	(1987-12-03) 3 December 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth	Loen, Norway[1]
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s)	Defender
Youth career
	Loen
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
–2004	Loen
2005–2006	Stryn
2006–2011	Sogndal	115	(18)
2012–2014	Kalmar	50	(5)
2015–2019	Hammarby IF	111	(8)
2020–2021	Stabæk	40	(3)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Sogndal

Solheim started his career at the local club Loen IL,^[3] continuing at Stryn TIL in the lower divisions. He initially played as a striker.^[4] He attracted interest from the professional club Sogndal, then playing in the Norwegian second tier, during the summer of 2006. He subsequently joined the club and went on to enjoy a promotion to Tippeligaen four seasons later, in 2010.

During his time at Sogndal he got known as a utility player, being used in almost every outfield position. He has since established himself as a natural wing back on either flanks.^[5]

Solheim played a total of 25 games, scoring 4 times, during the 2011 Tippeligaen-season. He attracted interest from several other Norwegian clubs after the successful campaign, but opted to move abroad, signing for Kalmar FF in the Swedish Allsvenskan.^[6]

Kalmar FF

He had a rough start to his stint at Kalmar FF, when he injured his anterior cruciate ligament in February 2012 during the pre-season. He was forced to the sideline throughout the rest of the year.^[7]

Solheim made his competitive debut for Kalmar on 2 April 2013 against Syrianska FC, on the first match day of the 2013 Allsvenskan. He crowned his debut for the side by scoring in a 3–0 victory.^[4] He played as a regular at Kalmar during the upcoming two seasons, featuring in a total of 50 games in Allsvenskan, scoring on 5 occasions.

Hammarby IF

On 31 March 2015, the last day of the Swedish transfer window, Hammarby IF announced that they had signed Solheim on a three-year contract.^[8] He reunited with his former manager Nanne Bergstrand, who first had brought him to Sweden, at the Stockholm-based outfit.

Solheim established himself as a first choice left defender at Hammarby during the 2015 season. He missed out on the whole first half of the 2016 season due to another, less serious, knee injury.^[9]

Stabæk

In November 2019, Solheim returned to Norwegian football, joining Stabæk on a three-year contract.^[10] He retired in August 2021 to become a banker.^[11]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition^[12][13]

Club	Season	League			Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Sogndal	2006	1. divisjon	8	0	0	0	—		8	0
	2007		18	3	0	0	—		18	3
	2008		28	5	1	0	2[a]	0	31	5
	2009		14	5	0	0	1[a]	0	15	5
	2010		22	1	2	0	—		24	1
	2011	Eliteserien	25	4	4	1	—		29	5
	Total		115	18	7	1	3	0	125	19
Kalmar	2012	Allsvenskan	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	2013		24	3	1	1	—		25	4
	2014		26	2	1	0	—		27	2
	Total		50	5	2	1	—		52	6
Hammarby IF	2015	Allsvenskan	26	2	1	0	—		27	2
	2016		16	2	1	0	—		17	2
	2017		27	1	3	0	—		30	1
	2018		15	0	2	0	—		17	0
	2019		27	3	3	1	—		30	4
	Total		111	8	10	1	—		121	9
Stabæk	2020	Eliteserien	29	3	—		—		29	3
	2021		11	0	1	0	—		12	0
	Total		40	3	1	0	—		41	3
Career total			316	34	20	3	3	0	339	37

1. Appearance(s) in promotion play-offs

Honours

Sogndal

• Norwegian First Division: 2010^[13]