Niklas Sandberg (born 3 September 1978) is a retired Swedish
centre-back
In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring.
Defenders fall into four main categories: centre-backs, full-backs, sweepers ...
who last played for Swedish
Superettan
Superettan (; ) is an association football league and the second highest league in the Swedish football league system, league system of Swedish football, Swedish men's football. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and rel ...
club
Brage.
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
Helsingborg (, , ), is a Urban areas in Sweden, city and the seat of Helsingborg Municipality, Scania County, Scania (Skåne), Sweden. It is the second-largest city in Scania (after Malmö) and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, ninth ...
he returned to
Stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
in 2001 to play at
FC Café Opera. He played there for three years and then returned to AIK in 2004.
In May 2007 he was traded to Romanian first league side
CFR Cluj
Fotbal Club CFR 1907 Cluj, commonly known as CFR Cluj ( or ) or simply CFR, is a Romanian professional association football, football club based in the city of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj County, that competes in the Liga I. Founded as ''Kolozsvári Vasut ...
, 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) with CFR 1907 Cluj and Stabaek.
References
External links
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Niklas Sandberg Interview
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sandberg, Niklas
1978 births
Living people
Swedish men's footballers
Sweden men's international footballers
Men's association football defenders
AIK Fotboll players
IK Sirius Fotboll players
Helsingborgs IF players
AFC Eskilstuna players
CFR Cluj players
Stabæk Fotball players
FK Haugesund players
Warriors FC players
IK Brage players
Allsvenskan players
Superettan players
Liga I players
Eliteserien players
Norwegian First Division players
Singapore Premier League players
Swedish expatriate men's footballers
Expatriate men's footballers in Romania
Expatriate men's footballers in Norway
Expatriate men's footballers in Singapore
Swedish expatriate sportspeople in Romania
Swedish expatriate sportspeople in Norway
Swedish expatriate sportspeople in Singapore
Footballers from Stockholm