Introduction
Tomas Runar Svensson (born 15 February 1968 in Eskilstuna, Södermanland) is a Swedish retired handball goalkeeper who is currently both assistant and goalkeeper coach of the Denmark national handball team.
Player career
Growing up in Eskilstuna it was only natural for him to play for the towns handball team, GUIF, and he was moved up to their senior squad, making his debut in the Swedish top division at the age of 15. 1988, at the age of 20, he made his first cap for Sweden and in 1990 he was one of the main forces in the national team who won the World Championship in Czechoslovakia. This success landed him a contract with Atlético Madrid BM in Spain where he played for some time before moving to CD Bidasoa. With this team he won his first Spanish championship in 1995. Right after this he moved to Barcelona where he stayed for several seasons, helping the team become the most prominent handball team in the world, winning just about everything there is to win – including international competitions like EHF Champions League and EHF Men's Champions Trophy as well as Spanish competitions like Liga ASOBAL and Copa del Rey de Balonmano. Svensson moved to Germany and HSV Hamburg for a short while before returning to Spain, this time to play for Portland San Antonio. On 8 May 2012, Svensson officially announced his retirement as a player, and after a stint as a goalkeeper coach with the German top team Rhein-Neckar Löwen he is currently (2016) assistant coach of the Danish national men's team.
Player clubs
Sweden GUIF
Spain Atlético Madrid BM- Spain CD Bidasoa
- Spain Barcelona
Germany HSV Hamburg- Spain Portland San Antonio
- Spain Pevafersa Valladolid
- Germany Rhein-Neckar Löwen
Resume
- Caps/goals: 327/0 (1988–2008)
- World champion 1990 (in Prague, Czechoslovakia) and 1999 (in Cairo, Egypt)
- European champion 1994, 2000 and 2002
- 2nd place in the 2001 World championship
- 3rd place in the 1993 and 1995 World championships
- Participated in three Summer Olympics: Barcelona (1992), Atlanta (1996) and Sydney (2000)
- 6 consecutive EHF Champions League titles 1995–2000 (1996–2000 with FC Barcelona)
- Goalkeeper of EHF's Champions League Ultimate Selection in 2013
Aircraft accident
In 1991, Svensson, along with his then girlfriend, survived the Scandinavian Airlines Flight 751 plane crash in Gottröra, Sweden.