8 February ~ Strikers are notoriously selfish but some look petty in their self-serving behaviour. Such as Tomas Brolin, the Swedish striker who recently laid claim to a 19-year-old goal scored in a friendly – and which went in off his back as he ran across the path of the strike. The goal, attributed to former Sheffield Wednesday right-back Roland Nilsson, would make Brolin the joint seventh top goal scorer for Sweden with 27 goals, including the winner against England in Euro 92. If reversed it would half Nilsson’s international scoring record.

The supposed reason Brolin did not appeal at the time was it was Nilsson’s first goal for Sweden. But the full-back did score again nine years later without the issue being raised. The delay may be attributed to Brolin’s busy post-football career. His business ventures involve vacuum cleaner nozzles, his own line of shoes and a skin care range. He currently bides his time between poker and running a restaurant, his interest in food being unlikely to surprise anyone who saw him during his spells at Leeds and Crystal Palace.

Brolin displayed equally clever positioning to score his first goal during his ill-fated Leeds stint when a clearance rebounded off his head as he lay on the ground. But he will have to wait to find out if he can add to his international scoring record 12 years after retirement. A less than enthused sounding spokesman for the Swedish FA said: "I guess we’ll have to discuss this with the statisticians and then we’ll see." Aaron Rogan

Share this article:

Subscribe to this comment's feed