Arild Berg

Arild Berg (17 July 1975 – 22 June 2019) was a Norwegian football midfielder.

Arild Berg
Personal information
Date of birth (1975-07-17)17 July 1975
Place of birth Bodø, Norway
Date of death 22 June 2019(2019-06-22) (aged 43)
Place of death Bodø, Norway
Playing position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
–1993 Bodø/Glimt
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1993–1995 Bodø/Glimt 44 (7)
1997 Gevir Bodø
1998–2000 Bodø/Glimt 66 (16)
2002–2004 Lyn 0 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

He was a son of Harald Berg and younger brother of Ørjan and Runar Berg.[1] Making his Bodø/Glimt league debut in 1993,[2] he was officially drafted into the first team in 1994.[3] Regarded as one of Norway's greatest talents and perhaps more so than his older brothers, Arild Berg chose to never represent Norway as a youth or under-21 international. After the 1995 season he retired, citing a desire to structure his everyday doings more freely.[4] Ahead of the 1997 season he rejected an offer from Rosenborg BK and signed for lowly FK Gevir Bodø.[5]

In 1998, 1999 and 2000, Arild Berg enjoyed a second spell with Bodø/Glimt. Amassing 110 league games,[2] he fell ill and chose to leave Bodø/Glimt. A complicated process ended in a 2002 transfer to Lyn, though he was not able to train much.[6] Lyn sponsor Atle Brynestad paid for various treatment. Mercury poisoning was believed to be Berg's diagnosis,[7][8] with chronic fatigue syndrome later being stated as the cause.[9] Berg stayed in Lyn for the remainder of his contract, throughout the 2004 season, without ever playing a game and barely training.[10] On 22 June 2019, Berg died at the age of 43. According to a statement from his family, "Arild chose to leave us", indicating that he died by suicide.[1]

References
  1. Strøm, Ole Kristian (22 June 2019). "Arild Berg er død". VG (in Norwegian). Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  2. Arild Berg at the Norwegian Football Federation (in Norwegian)
  3. "Fotball: Eliteseriens spillerstaller" (in Norwegian). Norwegian News Agency. 7 April 1994.
  4. Svegaarden, Knut Espen (17 January 1996). "Supertalentet Arild Berg (20) slutter". VG (in Norwegian). pp. 32–33.
  5. "Arild Berg valgte Gevir" (in Norwegian). Norwegian News Agency. 3 December 1996.
  6. Grønvold, Tom (22 January 2002). "Arild Berg går fra Glimt til Lyn". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). p. 32.
  7. Berntsen, Per Angell (11 April 2002). "Syk Berg får hjelp av Lyns rike onkel". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). p. 26.
  8. Grønvold, Tom (14 March 2003). "Blir ikke trodd". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). p. 22.
  9. Jensen, Geir Are (13 December 2004). "Jeg vant over ME etter 12 år". VG (in Norwegian). pp. 10–11.
  10. "Arild Berg tviler på comeback" (in Norwegian). Norwegian News Agency. 15 August 2004.


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