Kjetil REKDAL

In July 1996, Stade Rennais FC made a huge transfer coup in signing Kjetil Rekdal from Lierse in Belgium. After losing Gourvennec in 1995, and his replacement Ziani the following Summer, the recruitment team at Rennes chose the Norwegian to become playmaker for the Red and Blacks. Rekdal, who was Norway’s first World Cup goalscorer since 1938 (scoring against Mexico in 1994), went straight into Colleu’s starting line-up. During his lone season at Rennes, he put in a series of quality displays, with a proud record of providing a host of assists for centre-forward Guivarc’h, who scored 30 goals in the season. But the club were unable to retain the top-class player at the end of a disappointing season for the club (finishing 16th in the league.) In July 1997, he signed for Hertha Berlin, and then took part in another World Cup in France in 1998, where he became a national hero, scoring the winning penalty as they beat Brazil 2-1 to reach the Last 16 of the competition.