John Arne Riise
Born: 24.09.1980 in Molde
Position: Left Back
Caps: 110
Goals: 16
Profile
Like Hallvar Thoresen before him, John Arne Riise left Norway at the tender age of 17 to try his luck as a footballer abroad - and went on to become a star. He was already a regular for Norway's U18 team at the time, and despite his young age, he had already played more than 20 first-team games for first division side Aalesund when he joined Monaco in the summer of 1998. Nevertheless, many pundits warned him about leaving Norway so soon, fearing he was too young and that he would rot in the reserves like so many other players who had ventured overseas at such a young age.
However, Riise did not rot away in the reserves. Instead, he made his first-team debut for Monaco within weeks of joining the club, and though he wasn't yet a regular, he was given several opportunities to shine, and convinced the Monaco coaching staff that he was indeed a very talented player. In his second season at Monaco, Riise played regularly and began to show his ability to score spectacular goals. His success in the French league also convinced Nils Johan Semb to give him the chance to play for Norway at senior level. He made his debut in a friendly against Iceland in La Manga, Spain, just over four months after his 19th birthday.
Riise's didn't disappoint at international level. His play at the La Manga tournament earned him a spot in the friendly against Turkey, where he scored his first international goal, and from then on, the youngster from Ålesund was named in the squad for all the friendlies leading up to Euro 2000, and also earned a spot in the finals squad as the youngest member on the roster. The European Championship was a disappointment, however, for both the national team and for Riise, who was stuck on the bench throughout the tournament. And following a poor match against Finland in August that year, and loss of form for Monaco, Riise was dropped from the national squad and would spend the next year in the international wilderness.
Towards the end of the 2000/01 season, Riise was back in favour at Monaco, and he became a target for several English clubs. In the summer of 2001, it looked as if Riise was about to join his old manager Jean Tigana at Fulham. A fee had been agreed, and Riise had reportedly agreed personal terms. But in the last minute, Liverpool stepped in and made a bid for the player, and Riise then made a U-turn and joined the Merseyside giants instead.
Riise quickly established himself at Anfield, and was soon after recalled to the national side. Though he did not score, he created several chances for his teammates and provided an energy and commitment that the Norwegians had been lacking ever since their dismal showing at Euro 2000. Meanwhile, at club level, Riise was enjoying the best form of his career. He was ever-present in the Liverpool lineup and became an instant hero with goals against Everton and that goal against Manchester United. Overall, Riise scored eight goals in his first season at Anfield, and made his name as something of a free-kick specialist. Riise struggled a bit in 2003/04, but regained his form under new manager Rafael Benítez, and was a key member of the Liverpool side that won the Champions League in 2005, even if he missed his shot in the deciding penalty shootout.
In 2007/08, Riise was starting to fall out of favour at Anfield, and in the summer of 2008, he decided it was time to move on, and joined AS Roma of the Italian Serie A. After struggling initially to make an impact at Roma, Riise eventually became a first-team regular at the Olimpico. He failed to pick up any major trophies while in Italy, but he was virtually ever-present in the Roma side that finished second in the Serie A, and lost the Coppa Italia final in 2009/10, finishing second to Internazionale in both competitions. After three years in Italy, Riise moved back to England in 2011, joining Fulham ten years after his aborted transfer to Craven Cottage. At Fulham he joins his younger brother Bjørn Helge, and fellow Norwegian international Brede Hangeland.
At international level, Riise remains an important member of the side. In November 2011, he became only the third member of the Century Club when he won his 100th cap in the otherwise forgettable friendly against Wales, However, he missed out on a second appearance in the European Championship, as Norway failed to qualify for Euro 2012. In August 2012, Riise won his 104th cap, and tied Thorbjørn Svenssen's all-time record. Though still a regular international, Riise is approaching his 32th birthday, and the upcoming qualification for the 2014 World Cup will probably be his last chance to play in the finals of a major international tournament.
National Team Appearances
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Goals | Competition |
| Monaco (France) | ||||||
| 1 | 31.01.2000 | La Manga | Iceland | 0-0 | ||
| 2 | 02.02.2000 | La Manga | Denmark | 4-2 | ||
| 3 | 23.02.2000 | Istanbul | Turkey | 2-0 |
|
|
| 4 | 26.04.2000 | Oslo | Belgium | 0-2 | ||
| 5 | 27.05.2000 | Oslo | Slovakia | 2-0 | ||
| 6 | 03.06.2000 | Oslo | Italy | 1-0 | ||
| 7 | 16.08.2000 | Helsinki | Finland | 1-3 | ||
| Liverpool (England) | ||||||
| 8 | 15.08.2001 | Oslo | Turkey | 1-1 | ||
| 9 | 01.09.2001 | Chorzow | Poland | 0-3 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 10 | 05.09.2001 | Oslo | Wales | 3-2 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 11 | 06.10.2001 | Yerevan | Armenia | 4-1 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 12 | 13.02.2002 | Brussels | Belgium | 0-1 | ||
| 13 | 17.04.2002 | Oslo | Sweden | 0-0 | ||
| 14 | 14.05.2002 | Oslo | Japan | 3-0 | ||
| 15 | 22.05.2002 | Bodø | Iceland | 1-1 | ||
| 16 | 21.08.2002 | Oslo | Netherlands | 0-1 | ||
| 17 | 07.09.2002 | Oslo | Denmark | 2-2 |
|
European Champ. Qual. |
| 18 | 12.10.2002 | Bucharest | Romania | 1-0 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 19 | 16.10.2002 | Oslo | Bosnia-Herzegovina | 2-0 |
|
European Champ. Qual. |
| 20 | 20.11.2002 | Vienna | Austria | 1-0 | ||
| 21 | 12.02.2003 | Iraklion | Greece | 0-1 | ||
| 22 | 02.04.2003 | Luxembourg | Luxembourg | 2-0 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 23 | 22.05.2003 | Oslo | Finland | 2-0 | ||
| 24 | 07.06.2003 | Copenhagen | Denmark | 0-1 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 25 | 11.06.2003 | Oslo | Romania | 1-1 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 26 | 20.08.2003 | Oslo | Scotland | 0-0 | ||
| 27 | 06.09.2003 | Zenica | Bosnia-Herzegovina | 0-1 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 28 | 10.09.2003 | Oslo | Portugal | 0-1 | ||
| 29 | 11.10.2003 | Oslo | Luxembourg | 1-0 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 30 | 15.11.2003 | Valencia | Spain | 1-2 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 31 | 19.11.2003 | Oslo | Spain | 0-3 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 32 | 18.02.2004 | Belfast | Northern Ireland | 4-1 | ||
| 33 | 31.03.2004 | Belgrade | Serbia & Montenegro | 1-0 | ||
| 34 | 28.04.2004 | Oslo | Russia | 3-2 | ||
| 35 | 27.05.2004 | Oslo | Wales | 0-0 | ||
| 36 | 18.08.2004 | Oslo | Belgium | 2-2 | ||
| 37 | 04.09.2004 | Palermo | Italy | 1-2 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 38 | 08.09.2004 | Oslo | Belarus | 1-1 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 39 | 09.10.2004 | Glasgow | Scotland | 1-0 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 40 | 13.10.2004 | Oslo | Slovenia | 3-0 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 41 | 16.11.2004 | London | Australia | 2-2 | ||
| 42 | 09.02.2005 | Valetta | Malta | 3-0 |
|
|
| 43 | 30.03.2005 | Chisinau | Moldova | 0-0 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 44 | 04.06.2005 | Oslo | Italy | 0-0 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 45 | 08.06.2005 | Stockholm | Sweden | 3-2 |
|
|
| 46 | 17.08.2005 | Oslo | Switzerland | 0-2 | ||
| 47 | 07.09.2005 | Oslo | Scotland | 1-2 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 48 | 08.10.2005 | Oslo | Moldova | 1-0 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 49 | 12.10.2005 | Minsk | Belarus | 1-0 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 50 | 12.11.2005 | Oslo | Czech Republic | 0-1 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 51 | 16.11.2005 | Prague | Czech Republic | 0-1 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 52 | 01.03.2006 | Dakar | Senegal | 1-2 | ||
| 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 | 07.10.2006 | Athens | Greece | 0-1 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 57 | 15.11.2006 | Belgrade | Serbia | 1-1 | ||
| 58 | 07.02.2007 | Rijeka | Croatia | 1-2 | ||
| 59 | 24.03.2007 | Oslo | Bosnia-Herzegovina | 1-2 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 60 | 28.03.2007 | Frankfurt | Turkey | 2-2 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 61 | 02.06.2007 | Oslo | Malta | 4-0 |
|
European Champ. Qual. |
| 62 | 06.06.2007 | Oslo | Hungary | 4-0 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 63 | 22.08.2007 | Oslo | Argentina | 2-1 | ||
| 64 | 08.09.2007 | Chisinau | Moldova | 1-0 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 65 | 12.09.2007 | Oslo | Greece | 2-2 |
|
European Champ. Qual. |
| 66 | 17.10.2007 | Sarajevo | Bosnia-Herzegovina | 2-0 | 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 |
|
|
| AS Roma (Italy) | ||||||
| 72 | 20.08.2008 | Oslo | Republic of Ireland | 1-1 | ||
| 73 | 06.09.2008 | Oslo | Iceland | 2-2 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 74 | 11.10.2008 | Glasgow | Scotland | 0-0 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 75 | 15.10.2008 | Oslo | Netherlands | 0-1 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 76 | 19.11.2008 | Dnipropetrovsk | Ukraine | 0-1 | ||
| 77 | 28.03.2009 | Rustenburg | South Africa | 1-2 | ||
| 78 | 01.04.2009 | Oslo | Finland | 3-2 |
|
|
| 79 | 06.06.2009 | Skopje | Macedonia | 0-0 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 80 | 10.06.2009 | Rotterdam | Netherlands | 0-2 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 81 | 12.08.2009 | Oslo | Scotland | 4-0 |
|
World Cup Qualifier |
| 82 | 05.09.2009 | Reykjavik | Iceland | 1-1 |
|
World Cup Qualifier |
| 83 | 09.09.2009 | Oslo | Macedonia | 2-1 |
|
World Cup Qualifier |
| 84 | 10.10.2009 | Oslo | South Africa | 1-0 | ||
| 85 | 14.11.2009 | Geneva | Switzerland | 1-0 | ||
| 86 | 03.03.2010 | Zilina | Slovakia | 1-0 | ||
| 87 | 02.06.2010 | Oslo | Ukraine | 0-1 | ||
| 88 | 11.08.2010 | Oslo | France | 2-1 | ||
| 89 | 03.09.2010 | Reykjavik | Iceland | 2-1 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 90 | 08.10.2010 | Larnaca | Cyprus | 2-1 |
|
European Champ. Qual. |
| 91 | 12.10.2010 | Zagreb | Croatia | 1-2 | ||
| 92 | 17.11.2010 | Dublin | Republic of Ireland | 2-1 | ||
| 93 | 09.02.2011 | Faro | Poland | 0-1 | ||
| 94 | 26.03.2011 | Oslo | Denmark | 1-1 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 95 | 04.06.2011 | Lisbon | Portugal | 0-1 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 96 | 07.06.2011 | Oslo | Lithuania | 1-0 | ||
| Fulham (England) | ||||||
| 97 | 10.08.2011 | Oslo | Czech Republic | 3-0 |
|
|
| 98 | 06.09.2011 | Copenhagen | Denmark | 0-2 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 99 | 11.10.2011 | Oslo | Cyprus | 3-1 | European Champ. Qual. | |
| 100 | 12.11.2011 | Cardiff | Wales | 1-4 | ||
| 101 | 29.02.2012 | Belfast | Northern Ireland | 3-0 | ||
| 102 | 26.05.2012 | Oslo | England | 0-1 | ||
| 103 | 02.06.2012 | Oslo | Croatia | 1-1 | ||
| 104 | 15.08.2012 | Oslo | Greece | 2-3 |
|
|
| 105 | 07.09.2012 | Reykjavik | Iceland | 0-2 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 106 | 11.09.2012 | Oslo | Slovenia | 2-1 |
|
World Cup Qualifier |
| 107 | 12.10.2012 | Bern | Switzerland | 1-1 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 108 | 16.10.2012 | Larnaca | Cyprus | 3-1 | World Cup Qualifier | |
| 109 | 06.02.2013 | Seville | Ukraine | 0-2 | ||
| 110 | 22.03.2013 | Oslo | Albania | 0-1 | World Cup Qualifier | |