Ronnie Ekelund

Barcelona His involvement in the 1992 Summer Olympics impressed defending Spanish La Liga champions FC Barcelona. He joined Danish-Spaniard Thomas Christiansen at FC Barcelona B, the second-string team of the club. Due to league restrictions on the number of foreigners in the playing line-up, Ekelund had a hard time displacing stars like Michael Laudrup, Hristo Stoichkov and Romário in the Barcelona attack. He played a single league match during the 1993–94 season, coming on the field as a substitute and playing 33 minutes, Ekelund was an instant hit at Southampton's The Dell stadium with his skills on the ball, forming a great understanding with English forward Matthew Le Tissier, who Ekelund later described as being on level with Ronald Koeman and Romário. Ekelund soon suffered a back injury, and which the Southampton medical team felt that this could only be cured by surgery. As Ekelund refused to "go under the knife", the disagreement put paid to any hopes of a permanent transfer deal.

Ekelund underwent brief loan deals with English clubs Manchester City and Coventry City, but injuries limited his playing time there. He was loaned out to Danish Superliga club Lyngby FC, playing four games for the club in May 1996.

Later career Ekelund went back to Denmark on a permanent basis in 1996, when he moved to Odense BK. He played two Superliga seasons for Odense, to play under manager Ray Graydon who Ekelund knew as a coach from his time at Southampton. Ekelund played nine league games for Walsall, scoring once against Bournemouth. He was offered a new contract by Graydon, Ekelund suffered a knee injury in his first season at Earthquakes, In four seasons with San Jose, Ekelund scored 11 goals (five of them penalty kicks) and made 16 assists in the regular season. He also scored a goal and made four assists in the playoffs.

He left the team after the 2004 MLS season, and made the move to indoor soccer in 2005 joining the California Cougars,

International career Ekelund made his name known when he debuted for the Danish under-17 national team in October 1987. He scored 10 goals in 23 games for the Denmark under-17s, He represented the under-17 national team at the 1989 European Under-17 Championship, These nursing covers have been endorsed by Hollywood celebrities such as The View's Elisabeth Hasselbeck. and Mira Sorvino

Honours 1988 Danish under-17 Talent of the Year Danish championship: 1990 and 1991 MLS Cup: 2001 and 2003 MLS Best XI: 2002