Eiydur Gudjohnsen Icelandic footballer, striker. Date of Birth: 15.09.1978 Country: Iceland

Content:

1. Early Life and Career
2. Debut at Valur and Move to PSV
3. Making History at PSV and Bolton
4. Breakthrough Season at Bolton
5. Success at Chelsea
6. Chelsea's "Blonde Maradona"
7. Move to Barcelona
8. Champions League Goal against Chelsea
9. Later Career
10. Further Moves and Retirement
11. Retirement

Early Life and Career

Born to a Footballing Legacy

Eydur Gudjohnsen was born on 15 September 1978, in Reykjavik, Iceland. His father, Arnor Gudjohnsen, was considered one of the greatest Icelandic footballers of all time and spent much of his career playing in Belgium.

Debut at Valur and Move to PSV

At the age of 15, Eydur made his debut for the Icelandic club Valur. In 1994, he moved to PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands. Despite facing competition from prolific strikers like Ronaldo, he made his debut for PSV's first team at 17 and soon played against Barcelona in the Champions League.

Making History at PSV and Bolton

Landmark Father-Son Match

On 24 April 1996, Eydur and his father, Arnor, made history. They played together in an international match for Iceland against Estonia.

Breakthrough Season at Bolton

In 1998, Eydur joined Bolton Wanderers in England. In his first season (1999/00), he scored 21 goals and helped Bolton reach the semi-finals of both the FA Cup and the League Cup.

Success at Chelsea

Star Striker and Creative Playmaker

In 2000, Eydur was sold to Chelsea for £4 million. He formed a formidable partnership with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, scoring 23 goals himself and assisting Hasselbaink with 27. His excellent ball control and powerful shooting earned him a reputation for scoring memorable goals during his time at Chelsea.

Chelsea's "Blonde Maradona"

Despite being renowned as a goal-scorer, Eydur's ability to provide assists and read the game led José Mourinho to move him into a more central midfield role. The Portuguese manager even dubbed Eydur the "Blonde Maradona" after his outstanding performance against West Ham United in 2005.

Move to Barcelona

Replacement for Larsson

Following Roman Abramovich's takeover of Chelsea in 2003 and subsequent investment in star players, speculation arose that Eydur would be surplus to requirements. However, he remained a key player in the 2003/04 and 2004/05 seasons.

Champions League Goal against Chelsea

On 14 June 2006, Eydur signed a three-year contract with Barcelona, with an option for an additional year. He was brought in as a replacement for Henrik Larsson, who had returned to his hometown club Helsingborg. Barcelona paid a transfer fee of €12 million, with a potential €3 million bonus if Eydur became a regular starter.

Later Career

Move to Monaco

On 31 August 2009, Eydur joined AS Monaco, signing a two-year contract. His departure from Barcelona was primarily due to limited playing time.

Further Moves and Retirement

Eydur continued to move between clubs in the latter stages of his career, playing for Stoke City, Fulham, AEK Athens, and Club Brugge. In 2014, he returned to Bolton Wanderers as a free agent and later played for Molde and Pune City.

Retirement

After leaving Pune City, Eydur retired from professional football in 2017.

Football

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