Erik Benjaminsen

Erik Benjaminsen (born September 3, 1992) is a soccer player currently playing for Lommedalen in the 3. Divisjon.

Erik Benjaminsen
Personal information
Date of birth (1992-09-03) 3 September 1992
Place of birth San Francisco, California, United States
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Lommedalen
Number 18
Youth career
Hauger
2003–2010 Stabæk
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2013 Stabæk 4 (0)
2014– Lommedalen
National team‡
2010 United States U20 2 (0)
2010 Norway U19 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 August 2012
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 17 May 2010

With an American mother and a Norwegian father, Benjaminsen has represented both Norway and the United States at youth international level.

Career

Club

Benjaminsen has a Norwegian father and an American mother and was born in San Francisco. He lived in Fresno, California for six years before his family moved to Norway. As a young boy, Benjaminsen joined Hauger FK, but at the age of fifteen he moved to Stabæk.[1] He worked his way through the youth system, playing for the U-19 team and the reserve team.

Benjaminsen made his debut for the senior team in the first round of the 2010 Norwegian Cup, coming on as a substitute in a 12-1 demolition of Høland IL.[2] Benjaminsen signed a professional contract in August 2010, making him eligible for league play.[3]

On 12 May 2012, Benjaminsen made his debut in Tippeligaen in Stabæk's 5-0 loss against Molde, when he replaced Vegar Eggen Hedenstad as a substitute after 16 minutes.

International

Like his teammate Mix Diskerud, Benjaminsen is a dual national holding both Norwegian and American citizenship. Also like Diskerud, Benjaminsen has played for Norwegian youth teams in informal competitions. However, in 2009 Benjaminsen said that, "I am 100% American. I always have been. My goal is to make the US national team. It has always been my dream. If I were to get a call [from US Under-20 team coach Thomas Rongen], I would take it in a heartbeat."[1]

In May 2010, Benjaminsen accepted a callup to the US U-20 team to compete in a youth tournament in the Netherlands.[4]

Future callups were not forthcoming from the US U-20 camp and in September 2010, Benjaminsen accepted a callup to the Norwegian under-19 team.[5] He made his official debut for the team on September 29 in a 2-0 loss to Estonia U-19 in a qualifier for the 2011 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship.

Career statistics
Season Club Division League Cup Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
2010 Stabæk Tippeligaen 000000
2011 001010
2012 402060
2013 Adeccoligaen 000000
Career Total 403070

References
  1. Bell, Arch (November 9, 2009). "BRIGHT FUTURE AWAITING BENJAMINSEN". Retrieved May 17, 2010.
  2. "Høland-Stabæk". May 13, 2010. Retrieved May 17, 2010.
  3. "Stabæk-kontrakt for Benjaminsen". Budstikka (in Norwegian). 23 August 2010. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
  4. "Rongen Finalizes U-20 Roster for the Cor Groenewegen in the Netherlands". May 5, 2010. Archived from the original on May 14, 2010. Retrieved May 17, 2010.
  5. Bakkehaug, Wegard (19 September 2010). "Stabæk-kompiser med felles USA-drøm" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
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