Bengt Ove Kindvall (born 16 May 1943) is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a striker. He started his career at IFK Norrköping, where he played until he joined Feyenoord in 1966 and became professional. The same year, he won the Guldbollen, as the best Swedish footballer of the year. He is regarded as one of Sweden's greatest ever players.[1] A full international between 1965 and 1974, he won 43 caps and scored 16 goals for the Sweden national team. He represented his country at the 1970 and 1974 FIFA World Cups.

Ove Kindvall
Kindvall with Sweden during the 1974 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Full name Bengt Ove Kindvall
Date of birth (1943-05-16) 16 May 1943 (age 81)
Place of birth Norrköping, Sweden
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
IFK Norrköping
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1962–1966 IFK Norrköping 84 (70)
1966–1971 Feyenoord 144 (129)
1971–1975 IFK Norrköping 94 (30)
1975–1977 IFK Göteborg 58 (30)
Total 344 (259)
International career
1961 Sweden U19 3 (0)
1964 Sweden U21 2 (0)
1963–1964 Sweden B 2 (4)
1965–1974 Sweden 43 (16)
Managerial career
1979–1980 IFK Göteborg (chairman)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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With Feyenoord he won two national championships as well as the 1970 European Cup. In the final against Celtic he scored the winning goal in extra time. In his five seasons with the club, Kindvall scored 129 league goals in 144 games. He returned to Sweden and Norrköping 1971, where he played for three years, until ending his career in IFK Göteborg.

He was the first non-Dutchman to be named Eredivisie top scorer, doing so in 1968, 1969 and 1971. No other foreigner achieved this until Romário in 1989.

Kindvall earned the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal in 1969. In that year, he was named as the fourth best player in Europe.[2]

International career

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Kindvall played 43 games with the national team and scored 16 goals.[3] He participated in the 1970 and 1974 FIFA World Cup, playing a major role in the team's qualification for the former.[3]

Personal life

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Kindvall with family in 1970

He is the father of former footballers Niclas Kindvall and Tina Kindvall, and brother of Kaj Kindvall, a radio host.[4]

Career statistics

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International

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Appearances and goals by national team and year[3]
National team Year Apps Goals
Sweden 1965 3 1
1966 6 4
1967 0 0
1968 3 3
1969 3 4
1970 3 0
1971 4 1
1972 5 0
1973 10 3
1974 6 0
Total 43 16
Scores and results list Sweden's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kindvall goal.
List of international goals scored by Ove Kindvall[5]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
1 7 November 1965 Dr. Fazil Kucuk Stadium, Famagusta, Cyprus   Cyprus 3–0 5–0 1966 FIFA World Cup qualifier [6]
2 27 April 1966 Zentralstadion, Leipzig, East Germany   East Germany 1–3 1–4 Friendly [7]
3 30 June 1966 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden   Brazil 1–1 2–3 Friendly [8]
4 2–3
5 5 October 1966 Råsunda, Solna, Sweden   Austria 2–0 4–1 Friendly [9]
6 9 October 1968 Råsunda, Solna, Sweden   Norway 1–0 5–0 1970 FIFA World Cup qualifier [10]
7 3–0
8 4–0
9 1 May 1969 Malmö Stadium, Malmö, Sweden   Mexico 1–0 1–0 Friendly [11]
10 19 June 1969 Ullevaal Stadium, Oslo, Norway   Norway 3–0 5–2 1970 FIFA World Cup qualifier [12]
11 15 October 1969 Råsunda, Solna, Sweden   France 1–0 2–0 1970 FIFA World Cup qualifier [13]
12 2–0
13 27 June 1971 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden   West Germany 1–0 1–0 Friendly [14]
14 26 April 1973 Parken, Copenhagen, Denmark   Denmark 2–1 2–1 Friendly [15]
15 13 June 1973 Nepstadion, Budapest, Hungary   Hungary 1–1 3–3 1974 FIFA World Cup qualifier [16]
16 11 November 1973 Gżira Stadium, Gżira, Malta   Malta 1–1 2–1 1974 FIFA World Cup qualifier [17]

Honours

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IFK Norrköping

Feyenoord

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Greatest players". gopeking.net (unofficial IFK Norrköping fansite). Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  2. ^ "European Footballer of the Year ("Ballon d'Or") 1969". RSSSF. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  3. ^ a b c "Ove Kindvall - Spelarstatistik - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se. (in Swedish). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  4. ^ ""Sluta jämför med pappa"". 23 October 1997.
  5. ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Kim Källström". National Football Teams.
  6. ^ "Cypern - Sverige - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  7. ^ "Östtyskland - Sverige - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  8. ^ "Sverige - Brasilien - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  9. ^ "Sverige - Österrike - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  10. ^ "Sverige - Norge - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  11. ^ "Sverige - Mexiko - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  12. ^ "Norge - Sverige - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  13. ^ "Sverige - Frankrike - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  14. ^ "Sverige - Västtyskland - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  15. ^ "Danmark - Sverige - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  16. ^ "Ungern - Sverige - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  17. ^ "Malta - Sverige - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  18. ^ "FUWO 1970" (PDF). FCC-Wiki. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
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Awards
Preceded by Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal
1969
Succeeded by