Freddie Ljungberg has made his case for a second season in the Windy City.

Seattle Sounders FC has been better without Freddie Ljungberg. The 22 points accrued in the opening 18 matches of their season and the 26 obtained in the final 12 after the Swede was dealt on July 30 attests to their improvement.

Similarly, the fall of the Fire since Ljungberg’s acquisition has tarnished his reputation – fans discarding him into the receptacle labeled “DP busts”.

Despite this criticism, Ljungberg has quietly put together a productive 2010. Three goals and 10 assists – a trio tallied while in the Emerald City – leaves the 33-year-old tied for fifth in the league in helpers as the MLS regular season concludes.

Saturday night against Chivas USA, Ljungberg electrified the Home Depot Center, scoring on a left-footed finish and setting up the goals of Brian McBride and Calen Carr.

The majestic performance commenced in the 40th minute when Ljungberg assisted on McBride’s final career goal. Receiving a throw-in, Ljungberg turned on his defender, dashed to the byline, and softly nutmegged a pass through Ante Jazic’s legs. Charging to the near post, McBride deftly flicked behind his left leg to finish.

“Freddie just has this uncanny ability of finding people,” McBride said in Fox Soccer Channel’s post-game interview. “I made a run near post and he found me. Thankfully, I put it in.”

It would only take Ljungberg two minutes in the second half to find his own goal.

Constantly tip-toeing across the field, Ljungberg contributes – like all great playmakers – in ways that aren’t instantly apparent in a scoreline. Over the course of the year, 73 fouls, the third most in MLS, have been committed against Ljungberg. Discussion over his incessant complaints to MLS officials has overshadowed the grueling beating he has taken while in the U.S.

In a team that has lacked a central creator since Cuauhtémoc Blanco’s return to Mexico, Ljungberg has been the outlet through which most of Chicago’s attacks have started – a difficult request for someone arriving midseason. Since the inception of the DP mechanism, 12 of these stars have landed somewhere towards or past the middle of an MLS season: David Beckham, Julian de Guzman, Blaise Nkufo, Branko Boskovic, Mista, Thierry Henry, Rafa Marquez, Nery Castillo, Alvaro Fernandez, Geovanni, Blanco, and Luis Angel Landin.

Reread that list. How many were outward successes in their first half-years with their clubs? Blanco, Nkufo, and Marquez, certainly. Henry, Geo, and Fernandez have all shown their quality, but also indicate the time needed to become acclimated with the rigors of MLS and gel with their teammates.

Now, Ljungberg is a unique case as he was already playing for a team within the league. He’s already become accustomed with the . . . let’s call them 'interesting' decisions of MLS officials. But that doesn’t solve the period that the Swede still requires to gel with his Chicago teammates. Thrown into a difficult situation where he was expected to deliver a playoff birth with a first-year MLS manager, Ljungberg has managed to adjust himself as best as could be expected.

A lot of turnover is expected this off-season in Chicago with McBride and C.J. Brown retiring and the less than certain futures of Nery Castillo, Wilman Conde, and manager Carlos de los Cobos. If Ljungberg remains in the Windy City, anticipate a season in which he builds upon his assist-every-two matches ratio.

Even if the Chicago front office wants Ljungberg to stay, it’s out of their hands as he holds a player option for 2011. And as the past off-season with Seattle illustrated, the wants of Ljungberg can be difficult to predict.

So, what's the consensus? Do you think Freddie will be with the Fire in the upcoming months?

Ljungberg Lights Up San Jose

Designated Player Freddie Ljungberg played wonderfully Wednesday night. The Swedish forward/midfielder dominated the match, scoring a beautiful goal – his first in a Fire uniform – and providing two assists in 90 minutes of action.

“I felt great,” Ljungberg told MLSsoccer.com after the match. “My teammates played really well, they made me look good, so I thank them. And, of course, I’m quite happy with my performance.”

Ljungberg’s goal was particularly well worked. Winger Patrick Nyarko fed the former Seattle player streaking just outside the 18 in the 72nd minute. The World Cup vet took a fabulous first touch, splitting two San Jose defenders to get into the left side of the area, then put an audacious left-footed chip past ‘keeper Jon Busch and inside the far post.

Performances like Wednesday night’s will have Fire fans clamoring for Ljungberg, a fan of head coach Carlos de los Cobos’ attacking style of play, to pick up his player option and return to Chicago in 2011.

Pepsi drops Ljungberg

Freddie Ljungberg may be happy about his move to Chicago Fire but Pepsi is not. The soft drink company has dropped the Swedish player as a result of his recent trade. His three year contract was effectively broken as a result of the Chicago Fire being sponsored by one of Pepsi's major competitors.

Currently, Chicago Fire's presenting partner is Best Buy. According to their site, other partners including American Airlines, Adidas, Bush's Baked Beans, Cardinal Fitness, Chicago Soccer, Embassy Suites, Fisher Nuts, Home Depot, Life Source, Safeway Insurance United Health Care, Van Kampen Investments, and Walgreens. So which one of those is a competitor of Pepsi?

Oddly, one MLS's major sponsors is Pepsi as well as two of its subsidiaries, Aquafina and Gatorade. With every MLS club apart of the Pepsi Refresh Project, why would you drop one of the league's most recognizable names from a contract which was about to expire anyway? The simple answer is Pepsi doesn't want to spend a lot of money on an MLS player.

When Pepsi first signed Ljungberg, he was playing in the English Premier League and the Captain of the Swedish National Team. Although the Swede still makes the papers back home, he is no longer a member of the Swedish National Team. When Sweden failed to qualify for the World Cup, there was no reason for Pepsi's Swedish division to place Ljungberg in a ad campaign. Therefore, the company faced an ultimatum place Ljungberg in an ad campaign or drop him. We all know Pepsi wouldn't place a European soccer player let alone an MLS player in a US ad campaign. Not only that, Pepsi just implemented the Pepsi Refresh Project. With that, the likelihood of any athlete getting an ad campaign is unlikely. So, Ljungberg was given the axe.

It's unfortunate because it's one of the few endorsement deals the Chicago Fire player has. Ljungberg and his management aren't taking full advantage of the designated player rule. While David Beckham is willing to endorse everything from Armani to Sharpie pens, the quiet Swede is content on just playing "soccer." He even told NBC that he is very picky about what he endorses. However, it's not the time to be picky. When your 33 years-old, you career is nearly over. You have to strike the iron when it's hot. If people want you to endorse something, endorse it!

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Good article about Freddie's trade...

There hasn't been much Freddie news of late, but still I ran across this article from the Seattle Times by Steve Kelley. It showcases what I like best about Freddie & that is his professionalism & his character. (Besides his looks!) In this article Freddie provides some insight into what transpired during his trade. Enjoy!


Chicago had played the night before in Los Angeles, and Freddie Ljungberg wanted to stop in Seattle and pick up a few of his belongings before rejoining his Fire teammates.

And because every leave-taking in sports seems to happen so swiftly and dispassionately, Ljungberg wanted to have one night, one real chance, to say goodbye to his Sounders FC teammates.

This brief stop in Seattle earlier this month was his only chance.

"My plan was always, I wanted to take the whole team for dinner," Ljungberg said Friday afternoon. "All of them. But the timing wasn't perfect."

The Sounders were on the road when Ljungberg, who was traded to Chicago on July 30, came to town, but he took the players who didn't make the road trip — David Estrada, Pat Noonan, Brad Evans and others — to dinner at Canlis. Ljungberg picked up the tab.

"They're my friends," Ljungberg said. "I thought it was the right thing to do. We're going to have another dinner after (Saturday's) game."

There is a perception that there was a lot of bitterness in Ljungberg's farewell to Seattle, that he left on the wrong note and his teammates were happy to see him go.

But reports of such a rift have been grossly exaggerated.

Sitting in a ballroom in a downtown Seattle hotel after Friday's training, wearing his new Fire sweats, Ljungberg, in a one-on-one interview, reflected on his season-and-a-half with the Sounders.

"I can't control what people think and write, but that (perception) is so far from the truth," said Ljungberg, who will make his Seattle homecoming with Chicago on Saturday night.

The truth, according to Ljungberg, is that he received inquiries from European teams, including a serious proposal from a Champions League club. He went to the Sounders early in the summer and talked about the possibility of a transfer.

"It was just a case of different cultures, from what I'm used to in Europe and the way things are done in America," Ljungberg said. "I was told (by the Sounders) that in America, you negotiate when your contract is up (in November). I said, 'OK, but I'm from Europe, and that's not how my world works.'

"I told them there is a lot of interest in me at the moment and I am 33 years old and I need to know the deal, what is happening. I said to them that I love it here. Everything is great, but I have offers and I have to look at them and then consider what I want to do. For me, the big thing was, should I go back to Europe and play, or should I stay here?

"It was pretty straightforward. The only thing where maybe I got a little upset was maybe when I said that I wanted to look at my options, and then Sigi (Schmid, Sounders coach) wouldn't let me train with the team. I will never understand that, but that's how it is."

Eventually, Ljungberg was traded to the Fire, where he has been a spark in its push for the playoffs. Chicago is 2-1-1 and Ljungberg has three assists since the trade.

And since his last game with Seattle, the Sounders are undefeated in six league games.

"It's really been a win-win for both sides," Sounders general manager Adrian Hanauer said.

The impact Ljungberg — a former Swedish international and midfield mainstay at Arsenal — had on Seattle was enormous. Signing keeper Kasey Keller and Ljungberg gave the expansion franchise instant credibility.

Ljungberg added class to the Sounders' attack. He was the engine room in the team's surprising first-season success. The city's soccer fans embraced him. All last year, and even now that he's gone, the seats at Qwest Field have been rich with green No. 10 Ljungberg jerseys.

He was an all-star last season, and he sold merchandise as he helped sell the game in this city.

"I think that other people should say what my legacy will be here," Ljungberg said. "What I hope for is that, you know, when I came here there was nothing and I took a bit of a leap of faith, if you want to say that. I wanted to establish soccer in this area of America.

"And we did something that was maybe quite remarkable. We won the (U.S. Open) Cup. We had a successful season in the first season of the franchise. We went to the playoffs. I think that's something to be remembered by, or whatever. But the thing that I will remember, what is most important to me, is the people and how they embraced me.

"When I came from Europe, I was told that Americans don't care about soccer and this and that. But the way people cared was beyond my wildest expectations. You can't manufacture that."

Coming from Arsenal, Ljungberg had an expectation for how the game should be played. There were times when he would make a run and not receive the ball, or float a perfect cross into the box that wasn't converted, and he would demonstrate his frustration with his younger, less experienced teammates by holding his head or raising his arms to the sky.

When asked about that Friday, Ljungberg said such demonstrations are part of his personality, a manifestation of his will to win. He meant no disrespect.

"I tried to be very calm on the field," he said, "but at the same time, if you're a player who wants to win and someone misses an open chance and you're not going to win the game, of course, you're going to get disappointed. In the second that it happens you might show something with your expression, but after that, I just got on with it, you know, 'Let's score on the next chance.'

"But in those 90 minutes of the game, I say to my teammates, 'You can yell whatever the hell you want at me as long as you think it will make me play better.' You can tell me you want me to go to the moon, or wherever you want me to go. That's what it's all about. To play better. To win. There's nothing else to it."

Before Saturday's game, when he is introduced to the crowd, Ljungberg will hear a long, loud, appreciative ovation from the sold-out house. And then sometime early in the game, maybe when Sounders midfielder Ossie Alonso challenges him and he falls to the turf, Ljungberg will get booed.

And because he is such a competitor and because he wants to win so badly, even Freddie Ljungberg will appreciate the passion for the sport that is the true source of those boos.

Freddie at Wrigley

Freddie Ljungberg threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Chicago Cubs baseball game at Wrigley Field Tuesday, Aug. 31st.

The hottest athlete you've never heard of...

Unless you're European, a soccer buff or a fan of Calvin Klein underwear ads, you might have no clue who Freddie Ljungberg is. To most of the rest of the world, though, the Swedish footballer is one of Chicago's most famous athletes.

Ljungberg, 33, is quiet and friendly. But don't expect a flashy, entourage-sporting jock who'll make noise in the club scene.

"I can say, I'm quite a shy person," Ljungberg admits, resting one arm over a folding chair at Toyota Park, where he now plays for the Chicago Fire. It's a blockbuster signing for the team, currently on the cusp of making the playoffs.

Ljungberg's $1.3 million annual salary makes him--along with teammate Nery Castillo--one of the highest-paid players in Major League Soccer, and one of only eight who make more than $1 million a year. But the midfielder is used to earning his keep.

Ljungberg, a former Calvin Klein model, must have felt something like a god back in England, where he played for Arsenal--one of the most high-profile teams in the English Premier League. Ljungberg not only had a blisteringly prosperous nine years with the club, but he won Sweden's top footballing honors, the Guldbollen, twice. After a year with West Ham United, he moved to the MLS expansion team Seattle Sounders last year and made the move to Chicago just last month.

It's been a cultural adjustment. In the U.S., Ljungberg says, "you get recognized and people talk to you, but it's not the same. Soccer, or, football, is religion back home."

And the culture is worlds apart. He remembers attending a meeting with Seattle business owners in which one man asked a question about what the U.S. might be able to do with some real athletes playing soccer. He laughed.

"The best soccer players in the world ... you have those people here, you just need to develop them and make them grow," Ljungberg says. "It's not that you have to take an American football player and basketball player and make him into a soccer player."

But no one has to convince soccer fans--or Fire players--how crucial of an addition Ljungberg can be to the team. Calen Carr, a Fire forward, is an early devotee.

"Freddie is a fantastic player. He has completely changed our team and the way we're able to play," Carr says. "He's a guy that I've watched for a long time. Arsenal was always my favorite team growing up, so to be able to play with him really is an honor."

And coach Carlos de los Cobos calls the Fire fortunate to have Ljungberg.

"He very soon, very fast, adapted to the team, adapted to the group and produced for the team," said de los Cobos, calling the Swedish player a joy to coach. "He's transmitting to these [other players] confidence. ... I think we are lucky."

For Ljungberg's part, he's still learning about Chicago, finding and settling in to his new home in the Gold Coast and figuring out what he'll do with his free time--once he has it. He said he's had to cancel trips to Sunda, a restaurant he's been hoping to try, three times because he was too tired. But the city has impressed so far.

"I lived 10 years, all of my grown-up life in London. It reminds me of London," he says. "You have a beach downtown, which is quite cool, I must say, to have in a big city. I do really like it."

He's been properly warned about the winter weather but doesn't seem worried. Maybe it's the Swedish blood. He's far more focused on helping the team reach the playoffs this year.

"That's the goal, and I think it's important to know what's at stake," Ljungberg says. "Even if that's pressure, I think pressure makes you play better sometimes. You know, this is serious."

Some might recognize Ljungberg from his modeling days, a time he acknowledges with humility and a wry grin. He said it took months for him to be convinced to do underwear modeling.

At first, Ljungberg says, "I was like, there's no way I'm taking off my clothes." He got more comfortable over the years with being the only half-dressed person in the room, but isn't sure if he'd take a similar opportunity again. "I always get some offers now and then to do things," he says. But "for me it's important that it's all authentic. It's quite often I say no."

And although he loves fashion and architecture and owns a bistrolike restaurant, Gastons Halmstad in Sweden, when it comes down to it, Ljungberg mostly indulges his one true passion.

"I like to have a coffee, then maybe a dinner in the evening, just socialize with my friends. That's what I enjoy. ... Apart from that, my life is football, or soccer, as you say it."

Freddie Ljungberg Close Up I

Ljungberg's job unfinished in MLS

So while the recent acquisition of Ljungberg appears to be quick fix to mold a championship-caliber season, Ljungberg said Wednesday that Chicago could also turn into a long-term option down the line.

"I definitely hope so," Ljungberg said. "When I went to America I really wanted to try to make a difference and see if soccer can establish itself as a big sport. And here, I think this is a perfect opportunity to do that. I'm going to try to do as well as I can and try to be a good ambassador for the Fire."

Ljungberg made his move to MLS and debuted with then-expansion Seattle Sounders FC last year. Ljungberg says he has weighed many options to either stay in the U.S. or go back overseas, and the Sweden midfielder wants to finish his task here in MLS.

"When I came to America, a lot of people said I was mad because I was too young to go and said I should have kept on playing and winning things in Europe," Ljungberg said. "I feel like I haven't done enough here yet and I want to do more -- win the [MLS] Cup, that would be nice.

"There was a lot of interest from Europe and in America, as well," he said. "I said I need to make a decision. I'm 33 years old and I need to make a decision with what I want to do. ... Chicago was very persistent in approaching me."

Ljungberg said that a couple weeks ago Fire owner Andrew Hauptman and technical director Frank Klopas started courting Ljungberg to make the move to Chicago. Apparently they made a successful pitch.

"Andrew said he is a winner and he wants to be in it to win things," Lungberg said of his talks with Hauptman and Klopas. "There's nothing else on his mind. We want to get winners in and go for it. They brought in [Nery] Castillo a couple days before me. [Hauptman] wants to build a great team and wants me to help them. The way he sold it, I thought, was great."

Ljungberg's tenure at Seattle ended prematurely, with his Sounders contract ending this November. Ljungberg said he did not having a falling out with the Sounders organization, but in a matter of weeks Chicago acquired Ljungberg for either a 2011 or 2012 MLS SuperDraft conditional selection.

"I always wanted to play for the team and train for the team," Ljungberg said. "That was the management, or the coaches, [who said] that I shouldn't train while that was going on [with my ankle injury]. ... No bad blood. They are still my friends."

Ljungberg only has one Fire training session and a second-half portion of a win over the Los Angeles Galaxy under his belt with Chicago. But he is eager to contribute toward a group that has needed some midfield experience and stability this season.

"I think it looks good," Ljungberg said of the Fire personnel on board in the midfield. "I think the important thing is to try and keep the ball as much as you can -- that's what the coach wants, to be a dominating team. And we have some great players that can make a difference. Like Patrick [Nyarko], [he] has a lot of speed, and I can try to play him in behind the lines, make him use his speed. [Collins] John and [Brian] McBride are big boys. They can hold up the ball and help us out. So I think it's going to be great."

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Fire Land Ljungberg

The Chicago Fire Soccer Club announced today that they have acquired former Arsenal midfielder and Swedish international Freddie Ljungberg from Seattle Sounders FC for a conditional selection in the 2011 or 2012 SuperDraft. Today’s move marks the first-ever trade of a Designated Player in the history of Major League Soccer. The 33-year-old midfielder becomes the Fire’s second designated player and will become available for selection by Fire Head Coach Carlos de los Cobos this Sunday, Aug. 1 when the Fire take on the LA Galaxy at The Home Depot Center in Carson, CA at 6:30 PM CT (FSC/FSE).Per Major League Soccer and club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Freddie is an exceptional player, with world-class talent and we are thrilled to have him join the Chicago Fire,” said Fire Technical Director Frank Klopas. “He is a player with an illustrious career and as an attacking player he will help us towards our goal of bringing the MLS Cup to Chicago.” In 2009, Ljungberg tallied two goals and nine assists, including five game winning assists, as the former Arsenal great was named to the 2009 MLS Best XI. “I have been thinking long and hard about the next step in my career and I am extremely happy to become the newest member of the Chicago Fire,” said Ljungberg. “I had a very long and exciting meeting with Fire owner Andrew Hauptman and technical director Frank Klopas.

The creative midfielder’s first home match for the Men In Red pits him against former Arsenal teammate Thierry Henry, when the Fire host the New York Red Bulls at TOYOTA PARK on Aug. 8 at 8:00 PM CT

So, what does everyone think?

Great New York Times article!

Freddie Ljungberg
Age: 33
Occupation: Soccer player
Coming Project: Kicking off his instructional camp, Freddie Ljungberg’s Advanced Soccer Clinic at Suncadia, in Cle Elum, Wash., Aug. 20-22

World-Cup Adjustment: I retired from international soccer in 2008. It will be a massive thing for me not to be there when the World Cup begins this month in South Africa.

Place He Spends Most Time: My house is on Lake Washington, and I have a dock out back. I like to go sit there after training. Where I am from in Sweden was on the beach, so I love the sound of the water hitting the dock.

Pet: A Newfoundland named Amadeus. He weighs 150 pounds.

Morning Routine: I get up around 7:30 a.m. If I have time, I’ll have breakfast. My breakfast is oatmeal and quinoa mixed.

Bad Habit: I hit the snooze button a few times on my alarm clock. I’m not a good one in the morning.

Fitness Routine: I come into training with the club around 9 a.m. every day. We do soccer training for around 90 minutes. We’ll go in and get treatments for injuries or massages. Then in the afternoon I hit the gym. I do core exercises. I am not a big gym fan.

Home Workout: I have no home gym. I do enough of that at work.

First Sport: I played team handball when I was a child. It is a very brutal sport. People hit one another. You have big guys playing, and you can get smashed properly.

Early Start: In Sweden the professional soccer teams have junior squads. So I started to play for my first big-league team when I was 5. It is called Halmstads BK, and I eventually made my professional debut with them.

London Calling: I went to play for Arsenal when I was 20. I am small, and people told me to go to Italy or Spain, where the play is less physical. So I made a point that I wanted to go to England. It was daunting. My first game I was shaking like a leaf, but I did score.

Worst Thing About Playing in the States: You don’t have police escorts to the games.

Model Memorabilia: I was an underwear model for Calvin Klein for a few years. It is not something I wanted to do at first. I never regretted it, but I am a shy person, and to stand there buck naked in front of a camera was scary.

Always in Fridge: Apple juice.

Favorite Dirty Shirt: In soccer we sometimes exchange shirts with opponents at the end of the game. I have a shirt from the great French player Thierry Henry, who is with Barcelona.

He Wishes He’d Played Against: The great Brazilian midfielder Sócrates, who played when I was young. I would love to have played against the Argentine midfielder Diego Maradona.

Nagging Injury: For two years I played with a broken hip. I didn’t know it was broken. The muscles in my butt disappeared. I had my operation in December 2008, and now I feel like a million bucks.

Surprise Trophy: This year on my birthday, the team left me what looked like a gift box in my locker, so I threw it in my car. It lay there for a week. It turned out to be a trophy for being one of the MLS All-Stars. I had no idea. I had a good laugh.

World-Cup Prediction: I think Spain has an absolutely amazing team. And like most people, I think Brazil has a great team.

Favorite Tattoo: I only have three tattoos, but the last one I got is the one I am most happy with. It is a celebration of dead friends and family ­— a crucifix, dog tags, the Virgin Mary and clouds with rays of sun.

His Biggest Headache: I started to suffer from migraines when I was teenager. I lose my vision, I can’t feel my body and I throw up like 50 times. I have an injection that I can put into my leg, but I don’t often do it myself, because of my loss of vision.

Swedish Item He Misses: I love Swedish salt licorice, which you don’t have here. I have people send it to me from home. Right now it is all finished. I am waiting for the next visitor.

Best Recent Gift: I got a samurai sword for my birthday. Some of my friends did a surprise for me. It is beautiful, and I have had an interest in the samurai for years. I believe in honor, and the samurai believed in that, too.

Favorite Workout Gear: These shorts are used in muay Thai, which is a form of kickboxing from Thailand that is important to me. I train in muay Thai during the off-season, and I love it. It is one of the ways I stay fit. I wear a red pair. I also have a black pair with my name on it that was a gift from my coach.

Hobby: I love snowboarding. In my contract in Europe, I was forbidden to snowboard after I was 18, but when they tried to persuade me to sign in Seattle, they pitched me that I was allowed to snowboard.

Favorite Clothing Item: I have a polo neck sweater that is almost a yard long. It was made by a Japanese designer. I like Japanese designers; they fit my body quite well.

On Gossip: There’s been a gay rumor for a long time. I don’t mind at all. I am proud of that. I love fashion, and I think so many gay people have amazing style. So that is a compliment to me. I really don’t know why people are so interested. I just made a decision that I won’t talk about it.

Fantasy Career: My dream was always to be a fighter pilot. I was invited by the Swedish Army once to fly in a jet. It was the best day of my life.

Guilty Pleasure: I love Cinnabons. I really shouldn’t, but I can eat two or three at a go.

Evening Routine: I get home from practice around 3 o’clock. I take my dog out for a long walk. If I have time, I’ll try to have a nap, and then it is dinnertime. I’ll see friends. I go to bed around 12 or 1 o’clock.

Favorite Pastime: I have a game room downstairs, and I love my pool table. It is something that my friends in England made me play. I am not very good, but it reminds me of my time in England.

What He Drives: I have a couple of cars back home. Here I only have one car, a Hummer. It was the only car my dog could fit into. I felt I got away with having the car here, maybe in Europe I wouldn’t in the same way.

Ljungberg rocks the Mohawk!!!

It's official Freddie Ljungberg debuted his new Mohawk yesterday at training. It's been 7 years since the Seattle Sounder shaved off his famous locks. For those of you who aren't aware, the former Arsenal ace was known for his rather eccentric hair styles a la Dennis Rodman. The 33-year-old midfielder said, "Time for a change," on why he opted for the new do.

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Freddie Ljungberg talks about his injury with reporters

(Q: How do you feel? What your status?)

"I don't feel great, because I had a kick in my lower spine and it is still swollen. We've had x-rays and MRIs on it and there's fluid in the spine and it affects the nerves a little bit so whenever I try to walk upstairs my leg buckles. I had the same problem in the game, I couldn't push off my right leg. But it's getting better and according to the doctors if we can get the fluid away I can play. So it's mostly get that away and I can play."

(Q: On the possibility of playing in the New York game)

"We don't know yet. If I can't the fluid away I can't play. We were off this weekend, I stayed in the whole weekend to get treatment and everyday to get treatment and hopefully it will help. But we don't know yet."

(Q: Thoughts on Peter Nowak's comments)

"What can I say. It's just laughable. When I heard it I laughed. I just think it's too low and pathetic to respond to."

(Q: Teammates motivated when you go down?)

"It shouldn't motivate. Soccer is a beautiful sport and it's supposed to be played in a technical way. But I think maybe when you feel like one of your teammates unfairly treated, then maybe you'll get together and try to protect each other a bit more. But it should never have to go to that stage."

(Q: Physicality of MLS play into your thoughts of staying here?)

"I don't want to go so far now. I love it here in Seattle and said I will try to do as good as I can for the league and try to promote it. And I said on my blog as well, I think the ref did - because I'm sometimes critical of the refereeing - but he tried to control the game and not let get them get away with too much. I think the people at the head of the league need to make a stance on how they want the game to be played. In England, every year before the season starts we have a meeting with all the referees, and this year they say we're going to push on this and that because he want the game to be cleaner or this way or this way. I'm not the guy the makes decisions. They have to make the decisions at the top on how they want the league to progress."

(Q: Is MLS too physical?)

"If you comment about these things, you always get some people who say you are moaning and this and that. I have done everything I can. I have put on six to eight pounds this season to try to, maybe what I think should be a foul when I've been pushed around last season, I didn't get fouled. I put on some muscles and hopefully that will help me. It's quite a delicate thing to talk about but I personally have the view that it is supposed to be a technical game. If you're not quick enough and you have to foul, that should be reprimanded."

(Q: How physicality compares to EPL)

"I think here, if you look at the game itself, I think it is as fast and strong and all that kind of things as the EPL. If you look at, for example, a player like [Wayne] Rooney what he does in that speed maybe people here can't do the same technical abilities at that speed. I think that's the difference. If you talk about how strong and stuff, it is the same thing. You probably get away with a little more here tackling-wise than you would in the EPL."

(Q: Do you think you'll be ready to go Saturday?)

"I really hope so. I think I turned a corner yesterday or overnight. I couldn't even walk up stairs yesterday and today I could have a small jog. It hurt a little bit but not too bad. Like I said, they say if the fluid gets flushed out, I need to move my body to get it to flush out, then I will be playing. But if the fluid doesn't get away . . . It has nothing to do with pain. It's mostly that my leg just wobbles when I try to stand on it."

(Q: When did you know it wasn't an injury you could jog off?)

"After about five minutes after the injury. Normally when you get a kick, it's like a bleeding or something. Five minutes then you start running. But it wouldn't go away, tried to push off my right leg. Just tried to stay on for the team, it was the first game of the season. I felt in the beginning of the game there was a bit of tension in the team, we were not calm. I just felt like it's better to keep my presence and we can calm down. Around the 60 minute, I felt it should be a man more. For me, it was annoying."

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Freddie in a Shakira video???

Don't believe it! Back ion November the Mirror reported that Freddie would be starring in an upcoming Shakira video.

Football star Freddie Ljungberg will star in a Shakira video - mirror.co.uk

It's looks like she got another good looking star athlete to do the job!

Check out Shakira’s hot new video “Gypsy” featuring tennis champ Rafael Nadal. I would have preferred Freddie of course, but as I am a big fan of Rafa, I guess it'll have to do!

Fredrik Ljungberg Profile

PERSONAL PROFILE
Name: Karl Fredrik “Freddie” Ljungberg
Date of Birth: 16 April 1977
Birthplace: Vittsjö, Hässleholm, Sweden
Nationality: Swedish
Height: 176 cm (5ft 9in)
Weight: 162 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown
Current club: Seattle Sounders
Position: Midfield
Squad number: 10 (9 for Sweden)

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Previous Clubs:
West Ham (England, 2007-08) , Arsenal (England, 1998-2007) , Halmstads BK (Sweden, 1994-98

1994-98: Debuted for BK Halmstad senior team at the age of 17. Halmstad won Sweden’s first division, the Allsvenskan, in 1997 and the Swedish Cup in 1995. Made 139 appearances over five seasons, scoring 16 goals.

1998-2007: Starred nine seasons for London’s Arsenal, one of England’s Big Four. Played prominent role in Gunners’ run of two EPL and three FA Cup championships between 1999-05, including 2002 league and cup double and 2003-04 unbeaten league campaign of “The Invincibles.” During his first seven seasons in North London, the club won two EPL trophies and was runner-up five times. Arsenal was runner-up to Barcelona in the 2006 UEFA Champions League final. The club never finished lower than fourth in the Premiership during his tenure. Spotted by Arsène Wenger during international competition between Sweden and England and soon after signed for £3 million. Debuted by coming on as substitute 9/20/98 and scoring in 3-0 win over Manchester United. Appeared in 328 matches for Arsenal from 1998-07, scoring 72 goals. His season high was 17 in 2001-02 in all competitions, with his 12 in league play ranking ninth in EPL. Also scored in 2002 FA Cup final win, 2-0 over Chelsea, becoming first player to score in consecutive FA Cup finals. Along with Arsenal winning EPL, Ljungberg was named Sweden’s Player of the Year. Gunners won EPL without a loss (26-0-12) in 2004 and eventually set an English record by going undefeated over 49 matches. Helped Arsenal reclaim FA Cup in 2005, converting vital penalty in tiebreaker against Man United and scoring 14 times in all competitions. Named Sweden’s Footballer of the Year for a second time in 2006, when Arsenal advanced to Champions League Final for first time and Sweden reached World Cup finals and advanced to second round.

2007-08: Signed by West Ham United of the English Premier League. Appeared in 25 league matches, finishing with two goals. Scored first goal for club in February against Birmingham, and soon followed with another at Sunderland. Sustained a season-ending hamstring injury against Newcastle in April.

International
Between his first appearance for his country in 1998 (vs. U.S.A.) and his international retirement following Euro 2008, Ljungberg played in two World Cups (2002, 2006) and three Euros. He had served as national team captain since 2006 and, altogether, scored 14 goals.

Personal
Born in Vittsjö, in the southern part of Sweden. A talented handball player, was called to the national handball squad at the age of 13. A fashion icon is known for dyeing and styling his hair. Modeled for Calvin Klein underwear. Voted best-dressed man in Sweden in 2002.

Regular Season Stats

year	club	gp	gs	min	g	a	sht	sog	fc	fs	c	ej
2009	Seattle Sounders FC	22	21	1,836	2	9	27	14	31	67	6	1
Career		22	21	1,836	2	9	27	14	31	67	6	1

New Freddie Video!!!

Ljungberg returns and clears things up

Yes, Ljungberg was all smiles today after practice, talking about how happy he is to be back with the team. But he has some smoothing over to do with teammates, Kasey Keller in particular.

Let me back up. Ljungberg said that his biggest reason for not reporting to the team last Monday in time for the start of camp is because the MLS CBA negotiations have not been completed. He was waiting for some kind of development so that he could turn down offers from European team and return to fulfill the second and final year of his contract.

Ljungberg said the CBA situation has been annoying, but he had to look out for his own interests and field offers from other teams, especially since he's 32 years old and didn't want to be taking time off from playing.

"If there's a lockout, I can't just sit here and do nothing," he said. Then he got wind of the extension of the negotiations to Feb. 12 and decided to come to Seattle.

Ljungberg took some ribbing from teammates when he got to practice today but said he didn't really take a week off, he was still working on his conditioning.

Jokes aside, there are some internal issues to deal with. Last week, goalkeeper Kasey Keller was critical of Ljungberg not being in camp, saying he'd rather have a a guy with less talent who wants to be with the team then someone with more who doesn't.

The two team leaders, Keller and Ljungberg, have spoken, but it's clear there is more to be worked out.
"To me personally, that's what you take internally and that's disappointing, someone talking like that. But...we're all on the same page," Ljungberg said.

Keller, the team captain, called today "another day of training," but said, "For us as players, we just come out and play with the guys that are here."

The conversation that he and Ljungberg had is private, Keller said.

Day 1 of Sounders FC training camp - no Freddie Ljungberg

Everyone else, including Fredy Montero, was present for the start of camp today at Starfire. He faces a fine from the team, coach Sigi Schmid said, and it is NOT OK that the designated player is not with his team. "He's looking at options in Europe and as a club, we've talked and we've considered those options. As of yet, nothing has really happened so we expect him here. Exactly when the date is that he's going to be here, I'm not exactly sure." Schmid said Ljungberg's absence and any penalty from that will be handled internally as a club.

In the interim, his team started practice without him. Captain Kasey Keller was not pleased Ljungberg was not with the rest of the group.

"I don't know the full story. I don't know what's going on," Keller said. "In my opinion, when you're under contract and you're supposed to be somewhere, then you're there."

Keller was asked if he wants Ljungberg to be part of the team.

"I want the players at this team who want to be here," Keller said. "If Freddie wants to be here and wants to be fully committed, then sure. If he doesn't, then it's more of a distraction than a benefit. I'd much rather have a guy with less talent who truly wants to be here then a guy with great talent who doesn't."

General manager Adrian Hanauer said Ljungberg is under contract and the club is speaking to his representation each day.

"We knew he wasn't going to be here today," Hanauer said. "We're talking daily. The transfer window closes Jan. 31 in Europe and we expect this issue to be settled the next few days.

"Quite frankly we're extremely hopeful and optimistic that Freddie will be here very soon. I can't expound upon that in too much detail."

As for Freddie, he posted on his own site that he is busy snowboarding and training in Sweden at the Åre ski resort. He wrote "I have not made any final decision about the spring as a lot depends on the outcome of the new CBA and lockout threat in MLS." I understand that his contract must have some type of clause that if a strike were to occur, he would be released from Seattle. I hope someone can enlighten me as I am not a contract attorney, how can he sign a 2 year deal and simply not choose to honor the second year? Before the talks of the MLS lockout even started he was on the fence as whether or not to return. Is his name not signed on the bottom of the contract? Why even have contracts if they essentially mean nothing? I thought Freddie might be able to leave Sounders FC for another club if players are allowed, through intervention by FIFA, to become free agents in the event of a lockout... I have been and always will be a huge fan, but this is disappointing. I bet if he were at Arsenal instead of the Sounders he wouldn't be pulling this...

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Freddie's new tattoo IN DEPTH!!!

I ran across these close ups, as from the field you can't see much. Looks like a rosary with army style dog tags. Anyone know the meaning of this?

Aplogies for not posting regularly!

I kind of figured that since Freddie had his own blog now, plus an on-going article with ESPN that I probably wasn't going to be able to provide the "newest" news & updates. I will be making updates as often as I can find something interesting that is not already being written about by Freddie himself. Any suggestions, keep them coming...