Erik Hoftun

Erik Hoftun

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Personal information
Date of birth	(1969-03-03) 3 March 1969
Place of birth	Kyrksæterøra, Norway
Height
Position(s)	Central defender/ Sweeper
Team information
Current team	Rosenborg Assistant Coach
Youth career
	KIL/Hemne
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1987–1991	KIL/Hemne	141	(18)
1992–1993	Molde	44	(5)
1994–2005	Rosenborg	279	(14)
2005–2007	Bodø/Glimt	56	(2)
Total		520	(39)
International career
1997–2002	Norway	30	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Erik Hoftun (born 3 March 1969 in Kyrksæterøra) is a Norwegian former football defender, currently assistant coach in Rosenborg BK.

Career

Hoftun started his career at KIL/Hemne before moving to Molde FK in 1992. He went to Rosenborg BK in 1994, where he won 11 league titles and 3 cup titles in 11 years. Hoftun was a key player for Rosenborg in the Norwegian league and the UEFA Champions League, where he played a total of 82 matches.

At his peak, Hoftun was arguably one of the best central defenders in Scandinavia, with superb anticipation and offensive qualities. His lack of speed was his one major weakness, though he usually managed to mask it through footballing experience and understanding of the game. For Norway's national team, he has been capped 30 times. In a 2004 issue of the official UEFA Champions League publication, Champions Magazine, Hoftun was ranked as no. 86 in a list of the 250 greatest European football players of all time. The jury's comment on Hoftun read:

Rosenborg and Norway's defender is a legend in his home country. He's provided stability for his club in a remarkable 74 Champions League games since 1995.

In 2005, Hoftun moved to FK Bodø/Glimt, where he finished his career as an active football player. On 24 June 2007, while playing a match for Bodø/Glimt, Hoftun suffered from cardiac arrest after getting a knee in the chest in a duel. The club's doctor ran onto the pitch to revive him. The doctor's fast reaction is likely to have saved Hoftun's life.

In November 2007, Hoftun returned to Rosenborg in an administrative role, and worked as assistant director after Knut Torbjørn Eggen resigned. On 18 August 2008, he got the position permanently.

Honours

Club

• Norwegian Premier League (11): 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
• Norwegian Football Cup (3): 1995, 1999, 2003

Individual

• Kniksen award as defender of the year: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000