Olsson given emotional goodbye by Midtjylland after brain illness

Yahoo

31-03-2025

Sweden's Kristoffer Olsson (L) and Poland's Robert Lewandowski battle for the ball during the UEFA EURO 2020 Group E soccer match between Sweden and Poland at St. Petersburg Stadium. Swedish footballer Kristoffer Olsson, who suffered a serious brain illness, was given an emotional send-off by FC Midtjylland on Sunday after mutually agreeing to terminate his contract with the Danish club. Igor Russak/dpa
Swedish footballer Kristoffer Olsson, who suffered a serious brain illness, was given an emotional send-off by FC Midtjylland on Sunday after mutually agreeing to terminate his contract with the Danish club.
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The 29-year-old intends to move closer to his family in his hometown of Norrköping in Sweden.
Over a year ago, Olsson was diagnosed with an extremely rare inflammation of the cerebral blood vessels, which had caused multiple small blood clots in his brain.
In the half-time interval during Sunday 2-0 defeat against Brøndby, Midtjylland fans serenaded Olsson one last time.
The visibly emotional player greeted the crowd and even received a gift basket from supporters.
"I continue to dream of being a footballer, to be able to train fully and feel that I can contribute to the team," said the 47-time Sweden international, who now plans to work on a potential comeback at his youth club, IFK Norrköping.
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"I feel progress every week, and I am hungrier and more motivated than ever."
At the end of February last year, Olsson suddenly lost consciousness and was taken to Aarhus University Hospital. He was kept on artificial ventilation for an extended period while medical experts searched for a diagnosis for his acute brain illness.
He was later transferred to a rehabilitation centre for neurological conditions, where he gradually regained his motor and verbal abilities.