Gunilla Axén

Gunilla Axén

Personal information
Full name	Gunilla Sonja Eva Axén[1]
Date of birth	27 October 1966
Place of birth	Eskilstuna, Sweden
Playing position	Striker
Youth career
	Hällbybrunns IF
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
1981–1989	Gideonsbergs IF	125	(127)
National team^‡
1984–1988	Sweden[2]	29	(11)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23:59, 6 June 2013 (UTC). † Appearances (goals) ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 23:59, 6 June 2013 (UTC)

Gunilla Sonja Eva Axén (born 27 October 1966) is a Swedish former footballer. She played as a striker for Gideonsbergs IF and the Sweden women's national football team. Axén is employed as a development manager for the Swedish Football Association (SvFF).

Club career

In 1986 Axén won the Årets Fotbollstjej award, the forerunner of the Diamantbollen.^[3] That season she had also been the Swedish League's top goalscorer with 22 goals.^[4]

In 1989 an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained on the artificial turf at Tipshallen in Jönköping ended Axén's playing career early. She had reportedly been attracting interest from professional clubs in the Italian Serie A.^[5]

International career

Axén made her senior Sweden debut in the semi final of the 1984 European Competition for Women's Football, against Italy in Linköping. Sweden won 2–1 after two goals by Pia Sundhage.^[6] Axén was included in the squad who defeated England in the final.

In the semi final of the 1987 European Competition for Women's Football in Moss, substitute Axén scored twice against England as Sweden won 3–2 after extra time. At the 1988 FIFA Women's Invitation Tournament in Guangdong she was part of the Swedish squad who finished runners–up to Norway.

Personal life

Axén is married to Anders Wengrud, who was also a footballer and football coach. She has a son named Pontus. In 2003 Axén was appointed to a senior development role in the Swedish Football Association (SvFF).^[7]

References

1. Stenbäck, Lasse (29 January 2004). "Nu är Gunilla en riktig fotbollshöjdare - utanför planen" (in Swedish). Tidningen Folket. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
2. "Damlandslagsspelare 1973–2012". Svenskfotboll.se. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
3. "Diamantbollen" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Archived from the original on 17 December 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
4. "Allsvenska skyttedrottningar 1982-" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
5. Petersson, Johan (29 September 1998). "Axén hemma igen" (in Swedish). Tidningen Folket. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
6. "Spelarporträtt" (in Swedish). Svensk Damfotboll. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
7. Markusson, Lars (11 June 2003). "Gunilla Axén ska få fart på svensk fotboll" (in Swedish). Dagens Nyheter. Retrieved 6 June 2013.