Ronnie Hellström

Folke Ronnie Wallentin Hellström (21 February 1949 – 6 February 2022) was a Swedish professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He represented Hammarby IF and 1. FC Kaiserslautern during a career that spanned between 1966 and 1984. He was considered one of the world's best goalkeepers in the 1970s. In 1988, he played one Allsvenskan game for GIF Sundsvall following an injury crisis. As a full international between 1968 and 1980, he won 77 caps for the Sweden national team and represented his country at the 1970, 1974, and 1978 FIFA World Cups. He was awarded Guldbollen as Sweden's best footballer of the year in both 1971 and 1978.

Early life Hellström was born in Malmö to father Rolf, who also played football as a goalkeeper, and mother Ingegerd. During a brief period, Hellström trialed with local giants Malmö FF after getting invited by former national team player and then youth coach, Karl-Erik Palmér, but did not join the club on permanent basis. In 1962, when Hellström was 13 years old, his family moved to Stockholm after his father's job got relocated to the capital. On his own initiative, Hellström sought to continue playing football at Hammarby IF since he had read about the club's youth academy in a magazine.

Club career Hammarby IF On 11 May 1966, aged 17, Hellström made his debut for Hammarby IF's senior team in a 3–1 away win against Avesta AIK in Division 2 Svealand, his only appearance throughout the season. In 1967, he became the club's starting goalkeeper, competing in Allsvenskan, Sweden's first tier. Although the team suffered a relegation, Hellström was voted as the best goalkeeper in the league by Sweden's dominating sports magazine Idrottsbladet.

Being considered as a yo-yo club, Hammarby played another two seasons in the second division. In 1969, the club won a promotion through eliminating Sandåkerns SK by 2–1 in the first play-off round, in which Hellström saved a penalty, and Helsingborgs IF by 2–0 in the final round. Returning to Allsvenskan in 1970, the club was placed last in the table after eight rounds in July, but went practically unbeaten through the rest of the campaign, eventually finishing fifth.

While in Argentina during the 1978 World Cup, Hellström took part in the demonstrations of the Madres de la Plaza de Mayo in front of Casa Rosada together with teammates Roy Andersson and Roland Andersson.

Post-playing career and death After his retirement, Hellström worked as a goalkeeping coach for Hammarby IF and Malmö FF. In 1988, Hellström made a brief comeback, playing one match in Allsvenskan for GIF Sundsvall, due to injuries at the club, aged 39 years, 7 months and 18 days.

In 2017 a biography of Hellström was released, named Ronnie – Bäst i Världen (Ronnie – Best in the world), and in 2019 a German version was also released, named, Ronnie – der Fliegende Wikinger (Ronnie – the flying Viking).

In 2021, Hellström was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. He died on 6 February 2022, 15 days before his 73rd birthday. Hammarby announced his death in a club statement, which said: "Ronnie Forever. Hammarby Fotboll is in grief. We have been reached by the news that Ronnie Hellström passed away early this morning, surrounded by his family, after a period of illness. Our thoughts are with his loved ones."

Personal life Hellström's son Erland also became a professional football goalkeeper, who represented Hammarby in 2000–2002 and 2007–2009. National team Year Apps Goals

1968 3 0 1969 6 0 1970 5 0 1971 7 0 1972 7 0 1973 7 0 1974 11 0 1975 5 0 1976 6 0 1977 6 0 1978 9 0 1979 3 0 1980 2 0

77 0

Honours 1. FC Kaiserslautern DFB-Pokal runner-up: 1975–76, 1980–81 Guldbollen: 1971, 1978 Bundesliga Team of the Season: 1977–78 Sport Ideal European XI: 1978 Onze Mondial: 1978