Arild Berg (17 July 1975 – 22 June 2019) was a Norwegian football midfielder.
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 | ||
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) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
A member of a noted footballing family, he was a son of Harald Berg and younger brother of Ørjan and Runar Berg, all Norway internationals who played in foreign leagues.[1] Making his Bodø/Glimt league debut in 1993,[2] Arild Berg 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,[4] he 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 activities more freely.[5] Ahead of the 1997 season he rejected an offer from Rosenborg BK and signed for lowly FK Gevir Bodø.[6][4]
In 1998, 1999 and 2000, Berg enjoyed a second spell with Bodø/Glimt. Amassing 110 league games,[2] he fell ill and chose to leave Bodø/Glimt.[4] A complicated process ended in a 2002 transfer to Lyn, though he was not able to train much.[7] Lyn sponsor Atle Brynestad paid for various treatments. Mercury poisoning was believed to be Berg's diagnosis,[8][9] with chronic fatigue syndrome later being stated as the cause.[10][4] Berg stayed with Lyn for the remainder of his contract, throughout the 2004 season, without ever playing a game and barely training.[11] Due to his condition he was advised to cut all ties with football, and he later stated that even watching matches on television would cause him great stress.[4] 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 committed suicide.[1][4]
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