Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored 126 goals in 11 years as a Manchester United player, but the Norwegian forward will forever be remembered for just one of them — the injury-time winner in the 1999 Champions League Final that delivered the club’s second European Cup.
Solskjaer’s knack of being in the right place at the right time whenever a scoring chance came his way earned him the nickname of the “Baby-Faced Assassin” during his early days at Old Trafford.
His goal against Bayern Munich at the Camp Nou in 1999 earned him instant legendary status, however and during the three years that Solskjaer spent battling to save his career following a series of knee operations, his popularity amongst United supporters never dimmed.
Solskjaer’s ability to return for one more season as United clinched the Premier League title in 2006-2007 provided him with a trophy-winning farewell before the knee problems returned to claim his career 12 months ago, but the 35-year-old will pull on his boots for one last time today when Espanyol visit Old Trafford for his testimonial game.
He insisted his immense popularity amongst United supporters, which is expected to guarantee a crowd of more than 60,000 against Espanyol, does not just stem from his career-defining moment against Bayern Munich.
“It changed my life in a way that all Manchester people remind me of it, which is nice. In 30 years’ time, people will remember me as a United player. That is not the worst thing you can be remembered for. It could have been as the guy who missed that great chance in the final,” he said.
He added: “My relationship with the fans has been absolutely fantastic since the first game I came on and no one knew who I was, though. The affection cannot only be down to that one goal. There has to be something else they liked about me.”
Now reserve-team manager at United, Solskjaer has vowed to use the proceeds of his testimonial to fund the building of schools in Angola.
“I went to Angola a few months ago and you could see clearly how much things were needed down there,” Solskjaer said. “The aim, through my testimonial, is to try and build 10 schools. If I can generate more money through a scheme we have set up in Norway, maybe we can generate enough to build five more.”
“As a father, I recognize how helpless these kids are. If it was my children, I would do absolutely anything for them, so it is more important for me to be remembered for helping these people than anything I have done with football,” Solskjaer said.
His long-term future at United is set to lie on the training pitch but he is already being tipped to make it as a manager in his own right.
“The things that made Ole succeed as a player will make him succeed in management,” said United coach Rene Meulensteen. “He’s got great determination and focus, as well as a great ability to learn, and these qualities are the same as those you need to be a successful manager.”
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