Classic Swedish soccer player and ‘Blåvitt’ legend Bertil “Bebben” Johansson just turned 80 years old. As a birthday gift he received a painting depicting the classic picture of him with the corner flag painter by artist Niklas Amundson.
– Even my wife thinks I have become stylish, says “Bebben.”
He still goes to all the Gothenburg soccer team Blåvitts games but now get them referenced in place.
– I’ve gone blind. I have stuff in my ears so the game is referenced to me. Before I got them I looked to the left when they played to the right, he says.
Bertil “Bebben” Johansson is happy to share the secret recipes of a successful soccer team.
– The recipe I had in all the years is to make a goal more than the other. Last Saturday, they [blåvitt] were pretty good, they are just full and healthy so it can be really good.
1969 Blåvitt took the gold medal with “Bebben” as coach.
– Sometimes they play too fast now. But they are right there, the less you have the ball, the faster the game goes, I usually say. Pushes it to you so pushes you to the next, he says of today’s IFK.
To celebrate on Castle
On Sunday, “Bebben” take his family to Alingsås where he will be celebrated in a castle. After the celebration at the castle there will be coffee at home at one of his daughters.
– We are 19 people with all the children, grandchildren and their children.
The painting he got last week, he is very happy with. The artist Niklas Amundson painted the painting after he started to wonder why the picture hung in there for so many years.
– Well I got no real answer to that question. The guy who painted was not at all interested in sports. The painting is very beautiful and you can even see the wrinkles. But I have probably become more attractive over the years, says “Bebben.”
When “Bebben” think back to the time of IFK Göteborg, he’s hard to pick out a particularly fine memory and describes in place throughout it’s history with the team very nice, but about the gold in 2007, he says:
– When they win the series you are so happy that you forget how happy you are.
Text: David Peterson, Expressen
(This article was written i Swedish and translated with Google translate)
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