John Carew
Born: 05.09.1979 in Lørenskog
Position: Forward
Caps: 91
Goals: 24
Profile
When John Carew made his full international debut in late 1998, it was a historic event, as the young Vålerenga striker became the first black player to represent Norway. Carew, the son of a Gambian father and a Norwegian mother, began his career in the second division with his local side Lørenskog. It quickly became evident that the tall teenage striker was destined for bigger things, and long before he had played a single game in the premier division, a leading Norwegian football magazine predicted that he would become the first black player in the national side - which, of course, turned out to be correct.
In the summer of 1997, Carew made the short trip from Lørenskog to Oslo as he was signed by sleeping giants Vålerenga, who had been relegated from the top flight the season before. The 17-year-old wasted no time making his mark at the club, and was a vital player in the club's promotion drive. He scored five goals in ten matches for VIF in the league and added a few more in the club's successful cup campaign. Carew scored twice in the semi-final against Viking, and although he failed to make the scoresheet in the final, he was nonetheless outstanding when VIF defeated Strømsgodset 4-2 to lift the cup.
Carew added to his reputation the next season. In his debut season in the top flight, he was virtually ever-present and scored eight goals. Already a regular in the U21 side, Carew was given his full international debut later that year in the friendly against Egypt. He scored his first goal for Norway two months later in a friendly against Estonia.
In 1999, Carew went from hero to villain among the Vålerenga supporters when he demanded a transfer to Rosenborg after the Trondheim club had declared their interest. He was eventually sold to the champions midway through the season after a lengthy transfer saga. His career at Lerkendal lasted only about a year, but in that time he had scored an incredible 19 goals in 17 league games, picked up a league championship and another cup winners' medal, and made an impact in the Champions League with five goals. At the national team, he was now firmly established in Nils Johan Semb's squad. He scored the winner in the Euro 2000 warmup game against Italy, but was fairly disappointing at the tournament itself - just like the rest of the team.
The poor performance at Euro 2000 did not deter Carew's suitors. He had been linked with several big clubs before the tournament, but it was Valencia who signed the big man in the summer of 2000. He enjoyed an excellent debut season at the Mestalla, scoring 11 goals in the Primera División and became a fan favorite. He also adding a few goals in the Champions League, including the goal that knocked out Arsenal, as Los Ches reached the final. He also enjoyed an excellent run of form for the national team, and was Norway's top scorer in the otherwise dismal 2002 World Cup qualifying campaign with five goals.
In Carew's second season at Mestalla, Carew lost his place in the team and scored only one goal all season. His form at the national team also suffered because of the lack of playing time. Things went a little better in 2002/03, as he regained his place in the Valencia team, and once again scored against the winner Arsenal in the Champions League.
In 2003, Carew was signed by Italian giants Roma. He scored on his debut, and played regularly in the first half of the season, but was later dropped to the bench. Carew also made headlines for the wrong reasons at home in 2003. He was suspended from the national team following an altercation with John Arne Riise on the team bus a few days before the Euro 2004 qualifier against Luxembourg, and got involved in a public spat with coach Nils Johan Semb, so for a while, it seemed like his international career was over. However, was recalled to the team by new national coach Åge Hareide the next year, and proved his worth to the team by scoring in the opening World Cup qualifier against Italy, even though that goal did not prevent Norway from losing the match. Now at Aston Villa, having also played for French giants Lyon, Carew has matured into one of Norway's best and most important players. He won his 75th cap against Finland in 2009, and has scored more than 20 goals for the national team.
National Team Appearences
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Goals | Competition |
| Vålerenga | ||||||
| 1 | 18.11.1998 | Cairo | Egypt | 1-1 | ||
| 2 | 20.01.1999 | Tel Aviv | Israel | 1-0 | ||
| 3 | 22.01.1999 | Umm-al-Fahm | Estonia | 3-3 |
|
|
| 4 | 10.02.1999 | Pisa | Italy | 0-0 | ||
| 5 | 27.03.1999 | Athens | Greece | 2-0 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 6 | 28.04.1999 | Tbilisi | Georgia | 4-1 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| Rosenborg | ||||||
| 7 | 31.01.2000 | La Manga | Iceland | 1-1 | ||
| 8 | 02.02.2000 | La Manga | Denmark | 4-2 | ||
| 9 | 04.02.2000 | La Manga | Sweden | 1-1 |
|
|
| 10 | 23.02.2000 | Istanbul | Turkey | 2-0 | ||
| 11 | 26.04.2000 | Oslo | Belgium | 0-2 | ||
| 12 | 27.05.2000 | Oslo | Slovakia | 2-0 | ||
| 13 | 03.06.2000 | Oslo | Italy | 1-0 |
|
|
| 14 | 13.06.2000 | Rotterdam | Spain | 1-0 | European Championship | |
| 15 | 18.06.2000 | Liège | Yugoslavia | 0-1 | European Championship | |
| 16 | 21.06.2000 | Arnhem | Slovenia | 0-0 | European Championship | |
| Valencia (Spain) | ||||||
| 17 | 16.08.2000 | Helsinki | Finland | 1-3 | ||
| 18 | 28.02.2001 | Belfast | Northern Ireland | 4-0 |
|
|
| 19 | 24.03.2001 | Oslo | Poland | 2-3 |
|
World Cup Qualifier |
| 20 | 28.03.2001 | Minsk | Belarus | 1-2 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 21 | 25.04.2001 | Oslo | Bulgaria | 2-1 | ||
| 22 | 02.06.2001 | Kiev | Ukraine | 0-0 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 23 | 06.06.2001 | Oslo | Belarus | 1-1 |
|
World Cup Qualifier |
| 24 | 15.08.2001 | Oslo | Turkey | 1-1 | ||
| 25 | 05.09.2001 | Oslo | Wales | 3-2 |
|
World Cup Qualifier |
| 26 | 06.10.2001 | Yerevan | Armenia | 4-1 |
|
World Cup Qualifier |
| 27 | 13.02.2002 | Brussels | Belgium | 0-1 | ||
| 28 | 17.04.2002 | Oslo | Sweden | 0-0 | ||
| 29 | 07.09.2002 | Oslo | Denmark | 2-2 |
|
European Champ. Qual. |
| 30 | 12.10.2002 | Bucharest | Romania | 1-0 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 31 | 16.10.2002 | Oslo | Bosnia-Herzegovina | 2-0 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 32 | 30.04.2003 | Dublin | Republic of Ireland | 0-1 | ||
| 33 | 07.06.2003 | Copenhagen | Denmark | 0-1 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 34 | 11.06.2003 | Oslo | Romania | 1-1 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 35 | 20.08.2003 | Oslo | Scotland | 0-0 | ||
| AS Roma (Italy) - on loan | ||||||
| 36 | 06.09.2003 | Zenica | Bosnia-Herzegovina | 0-1 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 37 | 31.03.2004 | Belgrade | Serbia & Montenegro | 1-0 | ||
| 38 | 28.04.2004 | Oslo | Russia | 3-2 | ||
| Besiktas (Turkey) | ||||||
| 39 | 04.09.2004 | Palermo | Italy | 1-2 |
|
World Cup Qualifier |
| 40 | 08.09.2004 | Oslo | Belarus | 1-1 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 41 | 09.10.2004 | Glasgow | Scotland | 1-0 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 42 | 13.10.2004 | Oslo | Slovenia | 3-0 |
|
World Cup Qualifier |
| 43 | 16.11.2004 | London | Australia | 2-2 | ||
| 44 | 09.02.2005 | Valetta | Malta | 3-0 | ||
| 45 | 30.03.2005 | Chisinau | Moldova | 0-0 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 46 | 04.06.2005 | Oslo | Italy | 0-0 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 47 | 08.06.2005 | Stockholm | Sweden | 3-2 | ||
| Lyon (France) | ||||||
| 48 | 17.08.2005 | Oslo | Switzerland | 0-2 | ||
| 49 | 03.09.2005 | Celje | Slovenia | 3-2 |
|
World Cup Qualifier |
| 50 | 07.09.2005 | Oslo | Scotland | 1-2 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 51 | 12.11.2005 | Oslo | Czech Republic | 0-1 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 52 | 16.11.2005 | Prague | Czech Republic | 0-1 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 53 | 24.05.2006 | Oslo | Paraguay | 2-2 | ||
| 54 | 01.06.2006 | Oslo | South Korea | 0-0 | ||
| 55 | 16.08.2006 | Oslo | Brazil | 1-1 | ||
| 56 | 02.09.2006 | Budapest | Hungary | 4-1 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 57 | 06.09.2006 | Oslo | Moldova | 2-0 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 58 | 15.11.2006 | Belgrade | Serbia | 1-1 |
|
|
| Aston Villa (England) | ||||||
| 59 | 07.02.2007 | Rijeka | Croatia | 1-2 | ||
| 60 | 24.03.2007 | Oslo | Bosnia-Herzegovina | 1-2 |
|
European Champ. Qual. |
| 61 | 28.03.2007 | Frankfurt | Turkey | 2-2 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 62 | 02.06.2007 | Oslo | Malta | 4-0 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 63 | 06.06.2007 | Oslo | Hungary | 4-0 |
|
European Champ. Qual. |
| 64 | 22.08.2007 | Oslo | Argentina | 2-1 |
|
|
| 65 | 08.09.2007 | Chisinau | Moldova | 1-0 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 66 | 12.09.2007 | Oslo | Greece | 2-2 |
|
European Champ. Qual. |
| 67 | 17.11.2007 | Oslo | Turkey | 1-2 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 68 | 21.11.2007 | Valetta | Malta | 4-1 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 69 | 06.02.2008 | Wrexham | Wales | 0-3 | ||
| 70 | 26.03.2008 | Podgorica | Montenegro | 1-3 |
|
|
| 71 | 28.05.2008 | Oslo | Uruguay | 2-2 | ||
| 72 | 06.09.2008 | Oslo | Iceland | 2-2 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 73 | 11.10.2008 | Glasgow | Scotland | 0-0 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 74 | 15.10.2008 | Oslo | Netherlands | 0-1 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 75 | 01.04.2009 | Oslo | Finland | 3-2 | ||
| 76 | 06.06.2009 | Skopje | Macedonia | 0-0 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 77 | 10.06.2009 | Rotterdam | Netherlands | 0-2 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 78 | 12.08.2009 | Oslo | Scotland | 4-0 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 79 | 05.09.2009 | Reykjavik | Iceland | 1-1 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 80 | 09.09.2009 | Oslo | Macedonia | 2-1 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 81 | 10.10.2009 | Oslo | South Africa | 1-0 | ||
| 82 | 14.11.2009 | Geneva | Switzerland | 1-0 |
|
|
| 83 | 29.05.2010 | Oslo | Montenegro | 2-1 | ||
| 84 | 07.09.2010 | Oslo | Portugal | 1-0 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 85 | 08.10.2010 | Larnaca | Cyprus | 2-1 |
|
European Champ. Qual. |
| 86 | 12.10.2010 | Zagreb | Croatia | 1-2 | ||
| Stoke (England) | ||||||
| 87 | 09.02.2011 | Faro | Poland | 0-1 | ||
| 88 | 04.06.2011 | Lisbon | Portugal | 0-1 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| West Ham (England) | ||||||
| 89 | 02.09.2011 | Oslo | Iceland | 1-0 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 90 | 06.09.2011 | Copenhagen | Denmark | 0-2 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 91 | 11.10.2011 | Oslo | Cyprus | 3-1 |
|
European Champ. Qual. |