Thorstein Helstad
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Thorstein Helstad (born 28 April 1977) is a Norwegian former professional footballer who played as a forward.
He was regarded as one of the most prominent strikers in the Norwegian top division during the 2000s, particularly noted for his goal-scoring record with SK Brann. Helstad won domestic league titles in both Norway and Austria and represented the Norway national team at senior and youth levels.
Early life and youth career
Helstad was born in Hamar, Norway and started his career in his local club FL Fart where he at age 16 scored two goals against Løten in 1993 that made the team win promotion to Norwegian Third Division.
Club career
HamKam
He transferred to the local Norwegian First Division side HamKam, at the age of 18, and played for the club between 1995 and 1997.
Brann
In 1998, Helstad signed for Brann, where he enjoyed the most successful period of his career. Helstad played for Brann in two spells, from 1998 to 2002 and from 2006 to 2008.
He became the club’s leading striker and finished as the Tippeliga top scorer in both 2000 and 2001 and won the Kniksen Award as the best striker in 2000.
Austria Wien
Helstad played for Austria Wien from 2002 to 2004. During the 2002 - 2003 season, he won both the Austrian Bundesliga and the Austrian Supercup with the club.
Rosenborg
After scoring 14 goals in 69 matches for the Austrian side, Helstad returned to Norway where he signed a four-year deal with Rosenborg. He won the Norwegian league title with Rosenborg in 2004 and 2006.
With Steffen Iversen as the preferred striker, Helstad never managed to gain a regular spot in the first squad, but was often used as a winger in a 4–3–3 system.
Later career
After scoring 24 goals in 58 matches, Helstad returned to Brann in June 2006. Since he transferred in the middle of the season he won both gold with Rosenborg and silver with Brann.
In July 2008, Brann accepted a €2 million bid for Helstad from French club Le Mans, where he was installed as their starting striker. Helstad scored 21 goals in 2010–11.
In June 2011, Helstad made a free transfer move to recently relegated and former Champions League finalist Monaco.
He announced his retirement from playing in April 2014.
Career statistics
Club
| Season | Club | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |
| HamKam | 1995 | Tippeligaen | 17 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 4 | |
| 1996 | Adeccoligaen | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 3 | ||
| 1997 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 5 | |||
| Total | 46 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 12 | |
| Brann | 1998 | Tippeligaen | 23 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 25 | 6 |
| 1999 | 21 | 8 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 8 | |||
| 2000 | 24 | 18 | 2 | 0 | — | 2 | 1 | 28 | 19 | ||
| 2001 | 23 | 17 | 4 | 3 | — | 2 | 0 | 29 | 20 | ||
| 2002 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 5 | |||
| Total | 99 | 54 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 111 | 58 | |
| Austria Wien | 2002–03 | Austrian Bundesliga | 29 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 2 | 33 | 8 |
| 2003–04 | 27 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 29 | 6 | ||
| 2004–05 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Total | 59 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 54 | 14 | |
| Rosenborg | 2004 | Tippeligaen | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 2 | 9 | 3 |
| 2005 | 25 | 13 | 2 | 3 | — | 8 | 2 | 35 | 18 | ||
| 2006 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 1 | |||
| Total | 36 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 50 | 22 | |
| Brann | 2006 | Tippeligaen | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 2 | |
| 2007 | 24 | 22 | 2 | 1 | — | 6 | 1 | 32 | 24 | ||
| 2008 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 2 | — | 2 | 0 | 15 | 13 | ||
| Total | 48 | 35 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 60 | 39 | |
| Le Mans | 2008–09 | Ligue 1 | 32 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 35 | 11 |
| 2009–10 | 31 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 34 | 4 | ||
| 2010–11 | Ligue 2 | 35 | 21 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 39 | 22 | |
| Total | 98 | 35 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 108 | 37 | |
| Monaco | 2011–12 | Ligue 2 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 |
| Lillestrøm | 2012 | Tippeligaen | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 3 | |
| 2013 | 22 | 5 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 5 | |||
| Total | 34 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 8 | |
| Career total | 426 | 171 | 22 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 32 | 8 | 485 | 190 |
International
Scores and results list Norway's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Helstad goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 August 2000 | Telia 5G -areena, Helsinki, Finland | Finland | 1–1 | 1–3 | Friendly |
| 2 | 7 October 2000 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | Wales | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 24 January 2001 | Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong | South Korea | 2–1 | 3–2 | Friendly |
| 4 | 28 February 2001 | Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland | Northern Ireland | 1–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 5. | 4–0 | |||||
| 6 | 26 January 2003 | Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates | United Arab Emirates | 1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 7 | 8 June 2005 | Råsunda Stadium, Solna, Sweden | Sweden | 2–1 | 3–2 | Friendly |
| 8 | 12 October 2005 | Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway | Belarus | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 9 | 2 June 2007 | Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway | Malta | 2–0 | 4–0 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying |
| 10 | 9 September 2009 | Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway | North Macedonia | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Honours
Austria Wien
Rosenborg
Brann
- Tippeligaen: 2007
Individual
- Tippeligaen top scorer: 2000, 2001, 2007
- Kniksen Award Attacker of the Year: 2000, 2007
- Norwegian Football Association Gold Watch
External links
- at Norwegian FA (in Norwegian)