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 Smerud in 2023 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Leif Gunnar Smerud[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1977-01-24)24 January 1977 (age 49) | ||
| Place of birth | Stavanger, Norway | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Våganes | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1993–1996 | Vidar | ||
| 1997–1999 | Lillestrøm | 59 | (7) |
| 1999 | Lillestrøm 2 | 3 | (0) |
| 2000–2002 | Viking | 2 | (0) |
| 2001–2002 | Viking 2 | 4 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | Mandalskameratene | 52 | (7) |
| 2004–2005 | Lyn | 19 | (1) |
| 2012–2013 | Hønefoss 2 | 3 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 1992 | Norway U15 | 4 | (0) |
| 1994 | Norway U17 | 2 | (0) |
| 1995 | Norway U18 | 9 | (0) |
| 1996–1997 | Norway U20 | 4 | (0) |
| 1997–1998 | Norway U21 | 5 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2002 | Viking (U20) | ||
| 2007 | Mandalskameratene (interim) | ||
| 2009 | Norway (women) (assistant) | ||
| 2011–2013 | Hønefoss | ||
| 2014–2023 | Norway U21 | ||
| 2016 | →Norway (women) (caretaker) | ||
| 2020 | →Norway U18 (caretaker) | ||
| 2020 | →Norway (men) | ||
| 2023 | Norway (women) (interim) | ||
| 2025 | Crystal Palace (women) | ||
| 2025– | Brann (women) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Leif Gunnar Smerud (Norwegian:[læɪfˈɡʉ̂nːɑrˈsmèːrʉ(d)]; born 24 January 1977) is a Norwegian professionalfootball manager, formerplayer[2] andpsychologist. He held the position of head coach forNorwegian under-21 side since 2014. In June 2022, he led the team into2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
Under Smerud, Norway managed to qualify for the2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. This was only the third time in history Norway qualified for the competition. Smerud resigned after the championship had concluded.
Leif Gunnar Smerud has aCand.Psych degree from theUniversity of Copenhagen, and is a licensed clinicalpsychologist. He also studied at theNorwegian School of Sport Sciences. He holds aUEFA Pro license, and has been working as Deputy Technical Director in theNorwegian Football Federation.[citation needed]
Smerud started playing for Våganes, but soon went toFK Vidar, where he made his first team debut at the age of 15. He made the national team U15 in 1992, and played at the1995 UEFA European Under-18 Championship.
Helped by former coach legendKjell Schou-Andreassen,[citation needed] he left Vidar after two promotions and two relegations in four years, forLillestrøm SK in 1997. He played several positions during his career there. After Lillestrøm, he went on to play forViking FK, whereBenny Lennartson andBjarne Berntsen identified him as a talent for coaching, and gave him the position as head coach for the Jr-elite team in 2002, whilst playing. After Viking he went toFK Mandalskameratene andFC Lyn Oslo, before retiring at the age of 28.
Smerud's first head coach position came forHønefoss BK in 2011 inNorwegian First Division. He helped the team to be promoted in his first year, an accomplishment for which he was awarded the Young Coach of the Year award in Norway. He led Hønefoss inEliteserien in 2012 and 2013, before starting his work as U21-National Team coach in 2014. He has also won the bronze medal as assistant coach for theNorway women's national football team, in theUEFA Women's Euro 2009. He was the interim manager for the same team in 2016.
Smerud made headlines in Norway when he became the manager of theNorway national football team in theNations League, in November 2020. When the regular coaching staff wasquarantined, he was asked to gather and lead the team to a win in the decisive game againstAustria. The team was praised for their performance, despite a 1–1 draw.
On 1 March 2025, Smerud was announced atCrystal Palace.[3] At the end of the season, he left the club.[4]
On 1 August 2025, Smerud was announced atBrann on a two year contract.[5]
| Team | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | Ref. | |||||
| Mandalskameratene | 15 June 2007 | 27 August 2007 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 000.00 | |||
| Hønefoss | 1 January 2011 | 31 December 2013 | 97 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 034.02 | |||
| Norway U21 | 27 February 2014 | 9 July 2023 | 68 | 30 | 9 | 29 | 044.12 | |||
| Norway U18 | 1 January 2020 | 23 July 2020 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 033.33 | |||
| Norway | 16 November 2020 | 18 November 2020 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 000.00 | |||
| Norway Women (interim) | 5 September 2023 | 5 December 2023 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 016.67 | |||
| Crystal Palace F.C. Women | 1 March 2025 | 11 May 2025 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 011.11 | |||
| Brann Women | 1 August 2025 | Present | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 | [6] | ||
| Total | 203 | 75 | 48 | 80 | 036.95 | |||||