View source for Leni Larsen Kaurin

{{short description|Norwegian footballer (born 1981)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Leni Larsen Kaurin
| image = Leni Larsen Kaurin 2012.jpg
| image_size = 
| fullname = Leni Larsen Kaurin<ref>{{NFF}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1981|3|21}}
| birth_place = [[Ålesund]], Norway
| currentclub = 
| height = 1.66 m
| clubnumber = 
| position = [[Midfielder]], [[Winger (sports)|Winger]]
| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = [[Skarbøvik IF]]
| youthyears2 = | youthclubs2 = [[Fortuna Ålesund]]
| years1 = 1998–2003 | caps1 =    | goals1 =  | clubs1 = [[Asker Fotball|Asker]]
| years2 = 2004      | caps2 =    | goals2 =  | clubs2 = [[Team Strømmen FK|Team Strømmen]]
| years3 = 2005–2007 | caps3 =    | goals3 =  | clubs3 = [[Asker Fotball|Asker]]
| years4 = 2007–2009 | caps4 = 41 | goals4 = 5| clubs4 = [[1. FFC Turbine Potsdam|Turbine Potsdam]]
| years5 = 2010      | caps5 =  8 | goals5 = 0| clubs5 = [[1. FFC Frankfurt|FFC Frankfurt]]
| years6 = 2010–2012 | caps6 = 22 | goals6 = 1| clubs6 = [[VfL Wolfsburg (women)|VfL Wolfsburg]]
| years7 = 2012      | caps7 = 4  | goals7 = 0| clubs7 = [[Ottawa Fury Women|Ottawa Fury]]
| years8 = 2012–2014 | caps8 = 18 | goals8 = 1| clubs8 = [[Stabæk Fotball Kvinner|Stabæk]]
| years9 = 2015-2016 | caps9 = 0  | goals9 = 0| clubs9 = [[IF Fløya|Fløya]]
| nationalyears1= 2001–2013
| nationalteam1= [[Norway women's national football team|Norway]]
| nationalcaps1= 98 
| nationalgoals1 = 5
| nationalteam-update = 15:43, 28 July 2013 (UTC)
| medaltemplates = 
{{Medal|Sport|Women's [[Association football|football]]}}
{{Medal|Country| {{NOR}}}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[UEFA Women's Championship]]}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[UEFA Women's Euro 2013|2013 Sweden]]|Team}}
}}

'''Leni Larsen Kaurin''' (born 21 March 1981) is a Norwegian former [[Association football|footballer]] who played as a [[midfielder]]. She made almost 100 appearances for the [[Norway women's national football team]]. Kaurin represented her country in the [[UEFA Women's Euro 2009|2009]] and [[UEFA Women's Euro 2013|2013]] editions of the [[UEFA Women's Championship]], as well as the [[2007 FIFA Women's World Cup|2007]] and [[2011 FIFA Women's World Cup|2011]] [[FIFA Women's World Cup]]s. She also played at the [[Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|2008]] [[Football at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Football Tournament]]. At club level she played for domestic teams [[Fortuna Ålesund]], [[Asker Fotball|Asker]], [[Team Strømmen FK|Team Strømmen]], [[Stabæk Fotball Kvinner|Stabæk]] and [[IF Fløya|Fløya]]. She also played for German [[Frauen-Bundesliga]] clubs [[1. FFC Turbine Potsdam|Turbine Potsdam]], [[1. FFC Frankfurt|FFC Frankfurt]] and [[VfL Wolfsburg (women)|VfL Wolfsburg]] as well as a short stint in the North American [[USL W-League (1995–2015)|W-League]] with [[Ottawa Fury Women|Ottawa Fury]].

==Club career==
Kaurin was born in [[Ålesund]], West Norway.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fotball.no/Documents/PDF/2013/Landslag/Mediaguide%20EURO2013%20NORWAY.pdf|title=Norway Mediaguide 2013|publisher=[[Football Association of Norway]]|accessdate=8 December 2014|page=8|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130809111158/http://www.fotball.no/Documents/PDF/2013/Landslag/Mediaguide%20EURO2013%20NORWAY.pdf|archivedate=9 August 2013}}</ref> She began her career in the youth team at [[Skarbøvik IF]], along with male footballer [[John Arne Riise]], who was in the year above her at school.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Sandven|first1=Arild|title=Riise og Kaurin har sms-et før superonsdagen|url=http://www.aftenposten.no/100Sport/fotball/landslaget/Riise-og-Kaurin-har-sms-et-for-superonsdagen-121341_1.snd|accessdate=8 December 2014|publisher=[[Aftenposten]]|date=11 September 2007|language=Norwegian}}</ref>

[[File:LeniLarsenKaurin.jpg|thumb|left|Kaurin in January 2008]]

She joined [[1. FFC Turbine Potsdam]] from [[Asker Fotball|Asker]], at the end of 2007. She was then the only Norwegian woman footballer playing in Germany. On 2 February 2010 she announced that she would transfer to [[1. FFC Frankfurt]] in order to have more match-time in the German top women's division and maintain her international career.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[Kicker (magazine)|Kicker]]|title=Kaurin wechselt an den Main|url=https://www.kicker.de/kaurin-wechselt-an-den-main-520478/artikel|language=German|date=3 February 2010}}</ref> Shortly afterwards she transferred again to VfL Wolfsburg.

After four-and-a-half years in Germany, Kaurin decided to return to Norway and accepted a contract from [[Stabæk Fotball Kvinner|Stabæk]]. She played for [[Ottawa Fury Women|Ottawa Fury]] in the North American [[USL W-League (1995–2015)|W-League]] during July 2012, to get match practice ahead of Stabæk's [[UEFA Women's Champions League]] campaign.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Holmlund|first1=Tor Bjørnar|last2=Synstad|first2=Gro|title=Vil vinne noe med Stabæk|url=http://www.budstikka.no/sport/vil-vinne-noe-med-stabek-1.7386282|accessdate=8 December 2014|publisher=[[Budstikka]]|date=6 June 2012|language=Norwegian}}</ref>

When Kaurin was released by Stabæk after the 2013 season, she alleged that the team's male coach had [[Sexual harassment|sexually harassed]] her which caused her to play badly.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gulbrandsen|first1=Ragnhild|authorlink1=Ragnhild Gulbrandsen|title=Stabæk-trener inviterte landslagsspiller til sex|url=http://www.budstikka.no/sport/stabek-trener-inviterte-landslagsspiller-til-sex-1.8247234|accessdate=8 December 2014|publisher=[[Budstikka]]|date=16 January 2014|language=Norwegian}}</ref> In 2014, she played for and coached [[IF Fløya|Fløya]], who were battling [[Promotion and relegation|relegation]] from the [[Norwegian First Division (women)|1. divisjon]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Sivertsen|first1=Øyvind|title=Fløya kan jo ikke rykke ned!|url=http://www.aftenbladet.no/100Sport/fotball/kvinner/-Floya-kan-jo-ikke-rykke-ned-457505_1.snd|accessdate=8 December 2014|publisher=[[Aftenbladet]]|date=19 August 2014|language=Norwegian}}</ref> In 2016 she came out of retirement to sign for minnows [[Bærum SK]], at the same time becoming their player developer.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://baerumsk.no/leni-er-laerermester-og-forbilde/|title=Leni er læremester og forbilde!|date=26 March 2016|publisher=[[Bærum SK]]|accessdate=4 January 2018}}</ref>

==International career==
Kaurin scored 10 times in 37 international matches for Norway's age-limited teams before her debut in the senior national team, a 5–1 win over [[Finland women's national football team|Finland]] at the [[2001 Algarve Cup]]. She was disappointed to be one of the last players to be cut from the [[2003 FIFA Women's World Cup]] squad. From the beginning of 2006 she began playing more regularly for Norway.

In September 2007 Kaurin played a leading role on the right wing in Norway's campaign at the [[FIFA Women's World Cup 2007]] tournament in China, where the team achieved fourth place.<ref>{{FIFA player|197512}}</ref> She is known for her ability to dribble past defenders and pass accurately into the [[penalty area]], and as a result she assists in scoring many goals.<ref>{{cite web|title=Leni Larsen Kaurin|url=http://en.archive.uefa.com/competitions/woco/players/Player=49068/index.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141208214257/http://en.archive.uefa.com/competitions/woco/players/Player=49068/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 December 2014|website=[[UEFA]]|access-date=8 December 2014|date=10 September 2009}}</ref>

On 9 June 2008 she was named to the Norwegian roster for the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] to be held in Beijing, China.<ref>[http://www.fotball.no/t1.aspx?p=51831&x=1&a=228434 Drømmen gikk i oppfyllelse]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

On 6 August 2008 she scored the first goal for Norway, playing in [[Qinhuangdao]] against the [[United States women's national soccer team|United States]] in the opening Olympics soccer match for both teams, a match Norway won 2–0.  The goal, after 61 seconds, was also the fastest goal in Olympic soccer history, beating the former record of four minutes. But the record only lasted six days before being broken by the United States' [[Heather O'Reilly]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Fast women set the pace|url=https://www.fifa.com/newscentre/features/news/newsid=847317/index.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141208214327/http://www.fifa.com/newscentre/features/news/newsid=847317/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 December 2014|accessdate=8 December 2014|publisher=[[FIFA]]|date=13 August 2008}}</ref>

She played for Norway at [[UEFA Women's Euro 2009]], where the team reached the semi-finals.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Johnston|first1=Barry|last2=Juchem|first2=Markus|title=Kaurin laments 'crazy' twist|url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/01dc-0e11acf2a415-899dcfe9ed94-1000--kaurin-laments-crazy-twist/|access-date=8 December 2014|publisher=[[UEFA]]|date=25 August 2009}}</ref> In May 2011 Kaurin was selected to join Norway's squad to go to the [[FIFA Women's World Cup 2011]] in Germany in June–July 2011.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mediaguide 2011 Norway|url=http://www.fotball.no/Documents/PDF/2011/Landslag/Mediaguide_VM2011.pdf|publisher=[[Football Association of Norway]]|accessdate=8 December 2014|page=8|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006160655/http://www.fotball.no/Documents/PDF/2011/Landslag/Mediaguide_VM2011.pdf|archivedate=6 October 2014}}</ref>

She was called up to be part of the national team for [[UEFA Women's Euro 2013]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Pellerud 'excited' by Norway squad| date=13 June 2013 |url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/020a-0e141277a7f3-7d49004b79bd-1000--pellerud-excited-by-norway-squad/|publisher=[[UEFA]]|access-date=13 July 2013}}</ref> In the [[UEFA Women's Euro 2013 Final|final]] at [[Friends Arena]], Kaurin was an 85th-minute substitute. [[Anja Mittag]]'s goal gave the Germans their sixth successive European title.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0252-0ce447d38ef5-a4bdab73dc78-1000--angerer-the-hero-as-germany-make-it-six-in-a-row/|title=Angerer the hero as Germany make it six in a row|date=28 July 2013|access-date=8 December 2014|work=[[UEFA]]|first=Chris|last=Burke}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{Twitter|lenikaurin}}
* {{FIFA player|197512}}
* [http://www.stabakdata.no/soccerstats/player.php?id=72 Stabæk club profile] {{in lang|no}}
* {{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ka/leni-larsen-kaurin-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418034458/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ka/leni-larsen-kaurin-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2020-04-18 |title=Leni Larsen Kaurin}}

{{Navboxes
|title=Norway squads
| bg        = #d81e05
| fg        = white
| bordercolor= #203060
|list1=
{{Norway Squad 2007 Women's World Cup}}
{{Norway Squad 2008 Summer Olympics (Women's Football)}}
{{Norway Squad 2009 UEFA Women's European Championship}}
{{Norway Squad 2011 Women's World Cup}}
{{Norway Squad 2013 UEFA Women's European Championship}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Larsen Kaurin, Leni}}
[[Category:1981 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Norwegian women's footballers]]
[[Category:21st-century Norwegian sportswomen]]
[[Category:Norway women's international footballers]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:1. FFC Turbine Potsdam players]]
[[Category:Olympic footballers for Norway]]
[[Category:Eintracht Frankfurt (women) players]]
[[Category:2011 FIFA Women's World Cup players]]
[[Category:Expatriate women's footballers in Germany]]
[[Category:VfL Wolfsburg (women) players]]
[[Category:Toppserien players]]
[[Category:IF Fløya players]]
[[Category:Stabæk Fotball Kvinner players]]
[[Category:Asker Fotball (women) players]]
[[Category:Fortuna Ålesund players]]
[[Category:LSK Kvinner FK players]]
[[Category:2007 FIFA Women's World Cup players]]
[[Category:Footballers from Ålesund]]
[[Category:USL W-League (1995–2015) players]]
[[Category:Norwegian expatriate women's footballers]]
[[Category:Norwegian expatriate sportspeople in Germany]]
[[Category:Women's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:Frauen-Bundesliga players]]
[[Category:Bærum SK players]]
[[Category:Ottawa Fury (women) players]]
[[Category:Norwegian expatriate sportspeople in Canada]]
[[Category:Expatriate women's soccer players in Canada]]