My dad won FA Cup, played in Premier League and was face of FIFA 95… now I’m making my own way in football
KRISTIAN THORSTVEDT may be trying to emulate his father’s achievements in football.
But it would take something sensational for him to outdo Erik… in the game.
Erik Thorstvedt is best known for spending the final eight years of his career between the sticks for Tottenham.
The Norwegian played for Viking and Eik-Tonsberg in his homeland before a two-year stint at Borussia Monchengladbach in the mid-1980s.
A season at Goteborg followed before he was snapped up by Spurs in 1988 – four years after they initially tried to sign him but he was denied a work permit.
The 6ft 4in goalkeeper – nicknamed The Viking – joined as the replacement for Ray Clemence but had a nightmare start when he allowed a weak Nigel Clough shot to squirm through him as Spurs lost 2-1 against Nottingham Forest.
But he put the blunder behind him to become a popular figure at White Hart Lane, racking up 51 clean sheets in 195 appearances.
His greatest day for the club came in May 1991 at Wembley as he got his personal redemption against Forest in the FA Cup final.
Tottenham, led by superstars Gary Lineker and Paul Gascoigne, ran out 2-1 victors against Brian Clough’s side that featured a young Roy Keane in midfield.
Thorstvedt became the first Norwegian to win the FA Cup – with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, John Arne Riise and Erling Haaland among those to follow suit – and the following year was the second to appear in the newly-formed Premier League.
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The 97-cap international stopper featured for his country and the 1994 World Cup but retired in 1996 after a series of back injuries and ‘Jumpers Knee’ condition that required 13 operations as Ian Walker took over as Spurs’ No1.
But before hanging up his gloves and stepping into a post-playing career in coaching, administration and punditry, Thorstvedt etched his name and face into football folklore.
The goalkeeper was selected as the poster-boy for EA Sports’ FIFA 95 game – with an image of Thorstvedt diving to make a save the front cover for that year’s edition.
Thorstvedt was succeeded by the likes of David Beckham, Ronaldinho, Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe on the beloved video game before the major rebrand this year.
And with that incredible list of world-beating talent to grace the EA Sports’ covers, Erik’s son Kristian knows he has his work cut out to make it to the same dizzying heights.
The 24-year-old, born in Norway following Erik’s retirement, has also made the grade as a professional footballer after breaking through at Viking.
But unlike his father, Thorstvedt Jr is shining as a midfielder and helped the Norwegian club to promotion in 2018 as the young player of the year.
He joined Genk in January 2020, winning the Belgian Cup in his first full season.
But in 2022, the senior Norway international was on the move again when he signed a five-year deal at Sassuolo in Italy.
Thorstvedt missed out on Euro 2024 qualification alongside Haaland and Martin Odegaard.
But that does mean he will have the summer off to brush up on his golf skills, relax with his glamorous girlfriend Mille and spend time with his family – including dad Erik and his four siblings with sister Charlotte who is a model and former MTV presenter.