John Petersen (footballer)


John Petersen is a retired Faroese football striker and manager.

Club career

A prolific striker, Petersen has won Faroese league winner medals with GÍ Gøta and B36 Tórshavn. He then moved to play with compatriots Jens Martin Knudsen, Sámal Joensen and Jens Erik Rasmussen at Leiftur in the Icelandic league only to return to the Faroe Islands after a disappointing season in which the team relegated. Petersen was Faroese league top goalscorer in the 1994 season. He also had a short spell with Danish sides Holstebro BK and Skive IK. John Petersen is the second most scoring footballer in the Faroese league, with 147 goals.

International career

Petersen made his debut for the Faroe Islands in an October 1995 European Championship qualifying match against San Marino, coming on as a substitute for Todi Jónsson. On 7 September 2002, Petersen scored 2 goals within the first 8 minutes in a European Championship qualifying match, to give the Faroe Islands a 2-0 lead against Scotland. Given the chance to extend Faroe Islands lead to 3-0 after half time, alone with the goalie, Petersens attempt went above the post, as the ball hit a trench before impact. The final score ended 2-2. He has collected 57 caps since, scoring eight goals. He is also the seventh most capped player for the Faroe Islands national side.

International goals

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.24 April 1996Stadion Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia1–31–31998 FIFA World Cup Qualifying
2.14 October 1998Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen, Scotland1–21–22000 Euro qualifying
3.7 October 2000Letzigrund, Zürich, Switzerland1–01–52002 FIFA World Cup qualifying
4.7 September 2002Svangaskarð, Toftir, Faroe Islands1–02–22004 Euro qualifying
5.7 September 2002Svangaskarð, Toftir, Faroe Islands2–02–22004 Euro qualifying
6.27 April 2003Svangaskarð, Toftir, Faroe Islands2–03–2Friendly
7.24 February 2004La Manga, San Fernando, Spain1–14–2Friendly
8.24 February 2004La Manga, San Fernando, Spain2–14–2Friendly

Manager career

Petersen was head coach of B36 Tórshavn in 2011. He was coach of Skála ÍF for one and a half years in 2007 and 2008. He was assisting coach for AB Argir in 2009 and assisting coach for Viborg FF in 2007. Petersen was assisting coach for Faroe Islands national football team in the period 2006 to 2008. He is the current head coach of the Faroe Islands U19 women's national team.

Handball career

Petersen has played on the national handball team of the Faroe Islands. He played for the clubs StÍF and Neistin.