Niklas Sandberg

Niklas Sandberg is a retired Swedish centre-back who last played for Swedish Superettan club Brage.

Not to be confused with Niklas Sandberg (Norwegian footballer).
Niklas Sandberg
Personal information
Full name Niklas Magnus Sandberg
Date of birth (1978-09-03) 3 September 1978
Place of birth Stockholm, Sweden
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Centre Back
Youth career
1985–1989 Haningepojkarna
1990–1994 Västerhaninge IF
1996 AIK
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995 Västerhaninge IF 13 (0)
1996–1997 AIK 2 (0)
1998–1999 IK Sirius 48 (3)
2000 Helsingborgs IF 5 (0)
2001–2003 FC Café Opera 83 (5)
2004–2007 AIK 82 (2)
2007–2008 CFR Cluj 10 (1)
2008–2009 Stabæk 9 (0)
2009 FK Haugesund 22 (1)
2010 SAFFC 12 (1)
2011–2013 IK Brage 70 (3)
National team‡
2007 Sweden 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23 November 2013
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 22 November 2011

He started his career in the Swedish top flight in AIK in 1996 but only played two games during two years. After a spell at Helsingborg he returned to Stockholm in 2001 to play at FC Café Opera. He played there for three years and then returned to AIK in 2004.[1] In May 2007 he was traded to Romanian first league side CFR Cluj, becoming the first Swedish footballer ever to play in Liga 1.

Sandberg is tall and powerfully built, and thus physically strong and tough to beat in the air. He reads the game well and is a decent passer. Thus, he can also play as a defensive midfielder.

In December 2009, Niklas Sandberg approached Singapore's S League champions, SAFFC on his own accord and eventually signed for them. SAFFC has qualified for the 2010 AFC Champions League Group Stages and this would make Sandberg a player who has played in both UEFA and AFC Champions League in his entire career thus far.

Career highlights

Sandberg was capped twice by Sweden (2007). He played for Swedish AIK Stockholm from 1996 to 1998, and 2004 to 2007. Played in 1997 Uefa Cup Winners Cup quarter-final against FC Barcelona. Won Romania League title (2007–08) and Norway League title (2008–09) with CFR 1907 Cluj and Stabaek.

References
  1. "Stats Centre: Niklas Sandberg Facts". Guardian.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2012-10-01. Retrieved 2010-02-02.
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