Thorstein Helstad

Thorstein Helstad (born 28 April 1977) is a Norway football (soccer) currently playing for Le Mans Union Club 72.

Career

Helstad started his career in his local club Fart/Vang, before being snapped up by the biggest club in the district, Hamarkameratene at the age of 18. Helstad played for "Kamma" in the Norway Adeccoligaen from 1995 to 1997, when the Tippeligaen club SK Brann, in strong competition with other major Norwegian clubs, signed the talented youngster. In Brann, Helstad showed the whole country his talent and potential, and it was in Bergen, Norway that Helstad experienced his biggest success on the football field. While Helstad was in the club, Brann won Tippeligaen bronze and Norwegian Football Cup silver in 1999 and league silver in 2000. In addition, Helstad also became the Norwegian top scorers in both 2000 (18 goals in 24 matches) and in 2001 (17 goals in 23 matches) and won a Kniksen award. Helstad was sold to the Austrian side FK Austria Wien in 2002, but despite winning the Austrian Bundesliga, the Austrian Cup and the Austrian Supercup, his stay in central Europe was a modest success, and in 2004, Helstad returned home to Norway and the league champions Rosenborg B.K.. Helstad never managed to gain a regular spot on the Rosenborg team, often said to be a result of him have to play Midfielder in a 4-3-3 system, instead of playing striker in a 4-4-2 system.

Back in Bergen

On June 25 2006 Thorstein Helstad signed a 3.5 year contact with SK Brann, in a surprising transfer worth between £260 000 and £350 000 (€380 000-€505 000). Since he left Rosenborg in the middle of the season he became the only player who's ever won both a gold and a silver medal in the Tippeligaen in the same season. In 2006 he had enough matches for both the champions Rosenborg BK and the runner-ups SK Brann, to receive his 2nd gold and 2nd silver medal in the Norwegian Premier League.

In 2006 Helstad surpassed the scoring record of his own coach Mons Ivar Mjelde and he is among the most scoring Brann-players ever.

Le Mans

In July, 2008, Brann accepted a €2 million bid for Helstad from French club Le_Mans_UC72, where he was installed as their starting striker.

Honours

Norway

- Norwegian Premier League: Norwegian Premier League 2004, Norwegian Premier League 2006 and Norwegian Premier League 2007

Individual

- Norwegian top scorers: 2000, 2001 and Norwegian_Premier_League_2007 Top_goal_scorers
- Kniksen award: Kniksen award 2000 and Kniksen award 2007
- Norwegian Football Association Gold Watch

Austria

- Austrian Bundesliga: 2003
- Austrian Cup: 2003
- Austrian Supercup: 2003