Full name Gro Espeseth 1989–1990 IL Bjornar Name Gro Espeseth | Height 172 cm (5 ft 7 ⁄2 in) Role Footballer Playing position Position Defender | |
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Date of birth (1972-10-30) 30 October 1972 (age 43) Similar People Hege Riise, Linda Medalen, Ann Kristin Aarones, Heidi Store, Bente Nordby | ||
Gro Espeseth (born 30 October 1972) is a former Norwegian footballer, world champion and olympic champion.
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She played for the clubs Sandviken and Trondheims-Ørn, debuted for the Norwegian national team in 1991, and played 105 matches for the national team.
She received a bronze medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, and a gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.
Club career
With Sandviken Espeseth won the 1995 Norwegian Women's Cup, scoring twice in the 3–2 final win over Trondheims-Ørn, including the extra time winner. She had an offer to join Japanese L. League club Suzuyo Shimizu F.C. Lovely Ladies, but the transfer fell through when she failed the medical.
Espeseth signed for the professional Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) ahead of the inaugural season in 2001. She was allocated to New York Power alongside compatriot Ann Kristin Aarønes. Knee damage meant that she was only able to play for one season before retiring.
In 2007 Espeseth returned to football as an assistant coach with her former club Sandviken. Due to the unavailability of several players, she made a guest appearance as a player in July 2007, six years after her retirement. She was substituted after 40 minutes of Sandviken's Toppserien 9–0 defeat by Røa IL.
Olympics
FIFA Women's World Cup
Personal life
Espeseth gave birth to son Brage in 2002.