Gösta Wihlborg

Gösta "Pysen" Wihlborg (19 February 1898 – 28 November 1968) was a Swedish-American football player, best known for representing Hammarby IF. A full international between 1919 and 1923, he won 7 caps for the Sweden national team.[2]

Gösta Wihlborg
Wihlborg with Hammarby IF in 1922.
Personal information
Full name Nils Gösta Wihlborg
Date of birth (1898-02-19)19 February 1898
Place of birth Stockholm, Sweden
Date of death 28 November 1968(1968-11-28) (aged 70)[1]
Place of death United States
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
Klara SK
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1915–1924 Hammarby IF 34 (0)
Total 34 (0)
National team
1919–1923 Sweden 7 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Hammarby IF

In 1915, Hammarby IF established a football section after a merger with Klara SK, where Wihlborg had started to play as a youngster. During the first seasons, the club failed to reach the later stages of Svenska Mästerskapet, a cup by then held to decide the Swedish Champions.[3][4][5]

Wihlborg soon established himself as one of Hammarby's key players, together with goalkeeper Victor Olsson and striker Gustav Björk.[6][7][5] In 1921, Hammarby debuted in the Svenska Serien, by then the highest league in Swedish football. He played 15 competitive games throughout the season, as the club finished third in the table, three points behind winners Örgryte.[8]

In 1922, Hammarby had an other strong showing where they went to the finals of Svenska Mästerskapet, losing 1–3 to GAIS in a game where Wihlborg captained his side.[9][6][7][5]

In the summer of 1924, Wihlborg emigrated to the United States at age 26, thus effectively ending his football career. He played at least 34 competitive games for Hammarby.[10][7]

International career

Wihlborg was one of the first players from Hammarby IF to establish himself as a member of the Sweden national team,[11] and debuted in a 3–3 friendly draw away at Finland on 28 September 1919.[12] In total, he won 7 caps for his country up until 1923.[13]

Works cited
  • Persson, Gunnar (1996). Hammarby IF: En klubbhistoria 1897–1997 (in Swedish). Strömbergs Bokförlag. ISBN 91-7151-097-4.

References
  1. "National football team player Gösta Wihlborg". EU-Fotball.info. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  2. "Gösta Wihlborg". National Football Teams. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  3. Persson, p. 60-62
  4. "1915" (in Swedish). HIF Historia. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  5. "Julkalendern lucka 3: SM-spel med silver" (in Swedish). Hammarby Fotboll. 3 December 2014. Archived from the original on 9 December 2014.
  6. "Oövervinnerliga GAIS imponerade ej igår" (PDF) (in Swedish). Idrottsbladet. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  7. "103:e derbyt – och det sista". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  8. "1921" (in Swedish). HIF Historia. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  9. "1922". HIF Historia (in Swedish). Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  10. "1924". HIF Historia (in Swedish). Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  11. "Från konkurs till pengar på kistbotten" (PDF). Match (in Swedish). Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  12. "Landslagsdatabasen: Gösta Wihlborg". Swedish Football Association (in Swedish). Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  13. "Sveriges landslagsmän 1908-2017". Swedish Football Association (in Swedish). Retrieved 2 February 2021.
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