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
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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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