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Vegard Heggem

Vegard Heggem (born July 13, 1975 in Trondheim) is a former Norway international footballer. On elite level he played for Rosenborg and English club Liverpool, and he was capped 20 times for the national team. He is best remembered by some for the goal in the away match against AC Milan in the 1996 UEFA Champions League, when Rosenborg sensationally beat the Italian giant team, thereby advancing to the Champions League quarter final.

Heggem got his national team debut 25 February 1998 against France, scoring a goal. He was selected for the 1998 FIFA World Cup squad, but spent the entire tournament as a substitute. After the World Cup, Heggem transferred to Liverpool FC for £3.5m. His two initial seasons at Anfield were splendid, but the pacy right back/midfielder was unfortunately plagued by hamstring injuries. He played in the 2000 UEFA European Football Championship, but he got injured during the second match. During the 2000-01 season he appeared in only a few matches, and during the next two seasons he didn't appear in the lineup at all. Heggem left Liverpool FC when his contract ended in the summer of 2003, and shortly thereafter retired from football.

He is currently the owner and manager of a salmon fishing business at the river Orkla in Sør-Trøndelag. He is also an Official Patron of AFC Liverpool, an independent football club owned and run by Liverpool FC supporters.

Honours

Norwegian Premier League: 1995, 1996, 1997,
Norwegian Cup: 1995
UEFA Cup: 2001

Legacy

In the 2002 book Folkets Fotballbok. De største øyeblikkene (The People's Football Book. The Greatest Moments) (ISBN 82-994467-2-4) penned by sports writer Oddleiv Moe, his goal against AC Milan at San Siro was named one of the twelve greatest moments in Norwegian football history. The chapter devoted to his goal was named Mirakelet på San Siro (The miracle at San Siro).