Maria Olsvik (born 23 September 1994) is a Norwegian footballer who plays for Rosenborg.[2][3] In 2021, she was called up for the Norway national team for the first time.

Maria Olsvik
Personal information
Date of birth (1994-09-23) 23 September 1994 (age 29)
Place of birth Norway,
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s) Full back, winger
Team information
Current team
Rosenborg
Number 8
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2012 Kattem 49 (2)
2013– Rosenborg 156 (11)
International career
2010 Norway U16 4 (0)
2011 Norway U17 2 (0)
2012–2013 Norway U19 4 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 9 May 2022
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 9 May 2022

Club career edit

Olsvik started her professional career in Kattem, a team in that used to play in Toppserien, but after the club had to withdraw from the league, she decided to change club. Like several other players, including Guro Reiten, she moved to at the time Trondheims-Ørn (now Rosenborg) in 2013.[4][5]

In 2020 she missed the first season after Trondheims-Ørn became Rosenborg, since she was pregnant. Rosenborg came second in Toppserien that year, after Trondheims-Ørn had been a mid-table team for the last eight years Olsvik had played for the club.[6] However, she had a strong comeback in 2021 and took a part when Rosenborg came second in Toppserien that season as well. Martin Sjögren, among others, said he hasn't experienced many players coming back at the level that she did after giving birth, and that she shows that a career doesn't have to be over after getting a child.[7]

International career edit

Olsvik has played ten matches and scored one goal for Norway youth national teams.[8] She scored the goal one minute after being substituted when she debuted on the U19 national team in an away match against Sweden, one week before she turned 18.[9]

In October 2021, she was called up for the Norway national team for the first time, 14 months after giving birth and at the age of 27.[7][10] She had then played 11 years in Toppserien, the top level in football in Norway, without being called up.[10] After selecting Olsvik, the coach of the national team, Martin Sjögren, said that it shows that there are several different paths to get a place on the national team. Some players, like Julie Blakstad and Elisabeth Terland, come directly from the youth national teams. Others, like Guro Bergsvand and Olsvik, were called up at an older age.[11]

Style of play edit

In Rosenborg, she plays left back, and at the national team she was called up to play either back or winger. The author of the round 11 dual in Toppserien in 2021, concluded that her best abilities are in defence. She is especially good in one vs one situations.[7][12] Martin Sjögren adds that her speed on the field is also a skill with international quality.[7]

Personal life edit

She has studied the integrated master in Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at NTNU.[13][14]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she spoke about how strict UEFA's COVID rules were. They made it impossible for her to meet her one-year-old son for ten days, during her first call up to the national team.[7]

References edit

  1. ^ "Profile of M. Olsvik". haxthaus.com. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  2. ^ "Maria Olsvik" (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  3. ^ "Maria Olsvik". Soccerdonna. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  4. ^ NRK (26 January 2013). "Kattem trekker laget fra toppserien" (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Kattem-trio klar for Trondheims-Ørn" (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Da Maria (26) ble gravid satte hun seg ett mål – hun skulle tilbake. Nå vil hun ta plassen til fulltidsproffene" (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d e Jørnholt, Malin (21 October 2021). "Landslagsdebutant blir nektet å treffe sønnen Mikkel (1) – reagerer på Uefa-reglene" (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  8. ^ Fotballforbund, Norges. "Maria Olsvik - Profil" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  9. ^ Fotballforbund, Norges. "Sverige - Norge - 16.09.2012 15.00" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  10. ^ a b Bergh, Nicholas (26 October 2021). "(+)Først etter at hun ble mamma, nådde hun målet" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  11. ^ NTB (11 October 2021). "Olsvik debuterer i Sjögrens tropp". Nettavisen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  12. ^ "Rundens duell: Offensiv slagkraft mot defensiv trygghet". Toppserien (in Norwegian Bokmål). 13 August 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  13. ^ Skaufel, Mia (26 June 2014). "Livet handler om kjemi og fotball" [Life is about chemistry and football]. Malvikbladet (in Norwegian).
  14. ^ "Industriell kjemi og bioteknologi - masterstudium (5-årig) - NTNU". www.ntnu.no. Retrieved 27 May 2022.

External links edit