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{{Short description|Swedish footballer (born 1959)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Thomas Ravelli
| image = Thomas_Ravelli_in_January_2014.jpg
| caption = Ravelli at the [[Swedish Sports Awards]] inside the [[Stockholm Globe Arena]] in Stockholm, Sweden in 2014
| fullname = Thomas Ravelli
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|8|13|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Vimmerby]], Sweden
| height = 1.86 m
| position = [[Goalkeeper (association football)|Goalkeeper]]
| currentclub = 
| youthyears1 = 
| youthclubs1 = [[Östers IF|Öster]]
| years1 = 1976–1988
| clubs1 = [[Östers IF|Öster]]
| caps1 = 219
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 1989–1997
| clubs2 = [[IFK Göteborg]]
| caps2 = 211
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 1998
| clubs3 = [[Tampa Bay Mutiny]]
| caps3 = 23
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 1999
| clubs4 = [[Östers IF|Öster]]
| caps4 = 8
| goals4 = 0
| totalcaps = 461
| totalgoals = 0
| nationalyears1 = 1977
| nationalteam1 = [[Sweden men's national under-19 football team|Sweden U18]]
| nationalcaps1 = 9
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 1979–1981
| nationalteam2 = [[Sweden national under-21 football team|Sweden U21]]
| nationalcaps2 = 10
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 1981–1997
| nationalteam3 = [[Sweden men's national football team|Sweden]]
| nationalcaps3 = 143
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| medaltemplates = {{MedalTeam|{{fb|SWE}}}}
{{MedalCompetition |[[FIFA World Cup]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[1994 FIFA World Cup|1994 United States]]|}}
}}

'''Thomas Ravelli''' ({{IPA|sv|ˈtʊ̌mːas raˈvɛ̌lːɪ|lang}}; born 13 August 1959) is a Swedish former professional [[Association football|footballer]] who played as a [[Goalkeeper (association football)|goalkeeper]]. His 21-year professional career was almost exclusively associated with [[Östers IF|Öster]] and [[IFK Göteborg|Göteborg]], for whom he appeared in a combined 416 [[Allsvenskan]] games.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/fotboll/a/a2Wnva/nu-blir-du-mest-i-sverige-sven|title=Nu blir du mest i Sverige, Sven|publisher=Aftonbladet.se|date=25 June 2001|access-date=29 January 2018}}</ref> The most-[[Cap (sport)|capped]] player for the [[Sweden men's national football team|Sweden national team]] for several years, Ravelli represented the nation at the [[1990 FIFA World Cup|1990]] and [[1994 FIFA World Cup|1994]] [[FIFA World Cup]]s, and [[UEFA Euro 1992]].

==Club career==
Ravelli was born in [[Vimmerby]] where he lived his first five years of life. After a shorter stint in [[Åtvidaberg]] the family settled in [[Växjö]]. At the club level he played for [[Östers IF]] and [[IFK Göteborg]], winning three [[Allsvenskan]] championships during his ten-year tenure with the former team before signing for the latter in 1989, at the age of 29.

With Göteborg, Ravelli conquered a further six leagues and his only [[Svenska Cupen|Swedish Cup]]. In 1998, already 39, he joined the [[Tampa Bay Mutiny]] of [[Major League Soccer]], closing out his career the following year with his first club; in total, he played in nearly 500 official matches as a professional.

==International career==
Ravelli's international career spanned almost two decades, starting in 1981. He played in the [[1990 FIFA World Cup]], [[UEFA Euro 1992]], and the [[1994 FIFA World Cup|1994 World Cup]], with [[Sweden men's national football team|Sweden]] finishing third in the latter tournament, and appeared in a total of 143 games.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/ravelli-intl.html Thomas Ravelli – Century of International Appearances]; at [[Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|RSSSF]]</ref> The 1994 World Cup semi-final against [[Brazil national football team|Brazil]] was Ravelli's 116th game for Sweden, overtaking [[Björn Nordqvist]]'s appearances record.

He is well known for saving two [[Penalty kick (association football)|penalties]] during the [[Penalty shoot-out (association football)|shootout]] against [[Romania national football team|Romania]] in 1994 World Cup's quarter-final clash, including one in the "[[Sudden death (sport)|sudden death]]" by [[Miodrag Belodedici]] (5–4 win).<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-07-11-sp-14395-story.html WORLD CUP USA '94 / Quarterfinals: There once was a man named Ravelli... : Sweden: Goalkeeper's performance against Romanian penalty kicks seems like the stuff of legends.]; [[Los Angeles Times]], 11 July 1994</ref> This feat led to him finishing second in the year's race for ''Goalkeeper of the Year'', behind Belgian [[Michel Preud'Homme]],<ref name=RSSSF>[https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/iffhs-gkoy94.html IFFHS' World's Best Goalkeeper of the Year 1994]; at RSSSF</ref> and he was also named by [[France Football]] as the seventh best player in Europe.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/europa-poy94.html European Footballer of the Year ("Ballon d'Or") 1994]; at RSSSF</ref>

==Style of play==
Extroverted, experienced and highly competitive with a tall and slender frame, known for his leadership and vocal presence in goal in spite of his eccentric and temperamental personality, Ravelli was a traditional, consistent and efficient goalkeeper with solid all-round fundamentals, who was regarded in particular for his positional sense and ability to read the game and organise his defence; considered to be a world-class player in his position in his prime, as well as one of Sweden's greatest goalkeepers ever, he also possessed good elevation and shot-stopping abilities, which enabled him to produce acrobatic saves without having to resort to histrionics, and was known for his command of his area and speed when rushing off his line, as well as his ability to close down his opponents and get over the ball quickly. He also stood out for his longevity throughout his career; however, he also came into criticism at times from his managers over his poor work-rate in training.

Although Ravelli was not known to be a penalty-saving specialist, Ravelli drew attention to himself in the media when he stopped two penalties in Sweden's quarter-final penalty shoot-out victory over Romania at the 1994 World Cup.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1994/07/12/a-wild-and-crazy-goalie/|title=A wild and crazy goalie|publisher=[[Chicago Tribune]]|last=Hersh|first=Phil|date=12 July 1994|access-date=29 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chelseafc.com/news/latest-news/2017/11/lindahl-brings-award-back-to-cobham.html|title=Lindahl brings award back to Cobham|publisher=Chelsea F.C|date=30 November 2017|access-date=29 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.calciomercato.com/en/news/opinion-buffon-may-never-be-bettered-but-italy-can-replace-him-515138|title=OPINION: Buffon may never be bettered... but Italy can replace him!|publisher=Calcio Mercato|last=Hall|first=Richard|date=25 March 2016|access-date=29 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/news/y=2012/m=8/news=happy-birthday-you-1679223.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927175106/http://www.fifa.com/news/y=2012/m=8/news=happy-birthday-you-1679223.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 September 2015|title=Happy birthday to you!|publisher=FIFA|date=12 August 2012|access-date=29 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/02/08/sports/08iht-rob_1.html|title=Peter Shilton's despond|work=[[The New York Times]]|last=Hughes|first=Rob|date=8 February 1995|access-date=29 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-07-12-sp-14611-story.html|title=WORLD CUP USA '94: Semifinals: The nut in the nets: Sweden's Ravelli seems like a normal fellow, but the truth cuts holes in that scenario|work=Los Angeles Times|last=L. Jones|first=Grahame|date=12 July 1994|access-date=29 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/11/sports/world-cup-94-a-would-be-salesman-buys-dream-for-sweden.html|title=WORLD CUP '94; A would-be salesman buys dream for Sweden|work=The New York Times|last=Clarey|first=Christopher|date=11 July 1994|access-date=29 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1994/07/02/round-of-16/53f67ace-2937-4035-b0d5-53ed354b4999/|title=Round of 16|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|last=Goff|first=Steven|date=2 July 1994|access-date=29 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1994/06/11/save-the-world-a-shot-at-a-time/79a3d083-3030-4e82-9240-bc1a890d67ac/|title=Save the world, a shot at a time|newspaper=The Washington Post|last=Howard|first=Johnette|date=11 June 1994|access-date=29 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/13/sports/13iht-sweden_2.html|title=Chance of a lifetime is in their hands|work=The New York Times|last=Hughes|first=Rob|date=13 July 1994|access-date=29 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1994/06/17/world-cup-team-capsules/d71402d1-574c-4792-b2dc-e8fd9a8e9da9/|title=World Cup team capsules|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=17 June 1994|access-date=29 January 2018}}</ref>

Ravelli was also known for his temperament among teammates, and he was also known to be a [[practical joke|prankster]], at one point cutting holes into [[Martin Dahlin]]'s underwear.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-07-12-9407120217-story.html|title=A WILD AND CRAZY GOALIE|website=Chicago Tribune|date=12 July 1994 }}</ref>

==Personal life==
Ravelli's twin brother, [[Andreas Ravelli|Andreas]], is also a former footballer. Their father, Dr. Peter Ravelli, was an Austrian [[Immigration|immigrant]] of Italian descent who moved to Sweden in 1952,<ref>[http://wwwc.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/0006/10/ravelli.html/ Thomas Ravellis släkthistoria stolen (Thomas Ravelli's family history stolen)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080405110412/http://wwwc.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/0006/10/ravelli.html|date=5 April 2008}}; [[Aftonbladet]], 10 June 2000 (in Swedish)</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150404101835/http://www.uefa.com/news/newsid=81962.html Thomas Ravelli]; UEFA, 10 July 2003</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.expressen.se/gt/noje/ravelli-jag-var-radd-for-att-gora-bort-mig/|title=Ravelli: "Jag var rädd för att göra bort mig"|trans-title=Ravelli: "I was afraid of making a fool out of myself"|publisher=[[Expressen]]|last=Fredriksson|first=Jimmy|language=sv|date=4 May 2014|access-date=2 November 2017}}</ref> and the siblings played alongside each other at Öster and the national team.

Ravelli participated as a celebrity dancer in [[Let's Dance 2019]], broadcast on [[TV4 (Sweden)|TV4]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tv4.se/lets-dance/klipp/thomas-ravelli-jasmine-takacs-vals-11980460|title=Thomas Ravelli & Jasmine Takács – Vals|trans-title=Thomas Ravelli & Jasmine Takács – Waltz|publisher=[[TV4 (Sweden)|TV4]]|language=sv|date=19 April 2019|access-date=25 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://afaae.com/sweden/dan-ekborg-had-to-leave-lets-dance/|title=Dan Ekborg had to leave "Let's dance"|publisher=AFAAE|date=19 April 2019|access-date=25 April 2019}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
===Club===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.level-k.com/player/T_Ravelli.htm|title=Thomas RAVELLI|publisher=Level K|language=ja|access-date=13 July 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Thomas Ravelli - ifkdb.se|url=http://ifkdb.se/spelare/Thomas-Ravelli_600|access-date=2021-06-10|website=ifkdb.se}}</ref>
|-
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!colspan="3"|League
!colspan="2"|Cup
!colspan="2"|Continental
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
| rowspan="14" |[[Östers IF]]
|[[1976 Allsvenskan|1976]]
|[[Allsvenskan]]
|0
|0
|
|
|1<ref>{{Cite web |title=Thomas Ravelli » Europa League 1976/1977 |url=https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/thomas-ravelli/uefa-cup-1976-1977/oesters-if/3/ |access-date=2022-08-09 |website=worldfootball.net |language=en}}</ref>
|0
|
|
|-
|[[1977 Allsvenskan|1977]]
|Allsvenskan
|0
|0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[1978 Allsvenskan|1978]]
|Allsvenskan
|0||0|| || || || || ||
|-
|[[1979 Allsvenskan|1979]]
|Allsvenskan
|13||0||||||||||||
|-
|[[1980 Allsvenskan|1980]]
|Allsvenskan
|26||0||||||||||||
|-
|[[1981 Allsvenskan|1981]]
|Allsvenskan
|26||0||||||||||||
|-
|[[1982 Allsvenskan|1982]]
|Allsvenskan
|24||0||||||||||||
|-
|[[1983 Allsvenskan|1983]]
|Allsvenskan
|28||0||||||||||||
|-
|[[1984 Allsvenskan|1984]]
|Allsvenskan
|17||0||||||||||||
|-
|[[1985 Allsvenskan|1985]]
|Allsvenskan
|19||0||||||||||||
|-
|[[1986 Allsvenskan|1986]]
|Allsvenskan
|20||0||||||||||||
|-
|[[1987 Allsvenskan|1987]]
|Allsvenskan
|24||0||||||||||||
|-
|[[1988 Allsvenskan|1988]]
|Allsvenskan
|22||0||||||||||||
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!219!!0!!!!!!!!!!!!
|-
|rowspan="10"|[[IFK Göteborg]]
|[[1989 Allsvenskan|1989]]
|Allsvenskan
|22||0||5||0||2||0||29||0
|-
|[[1990 Allsvenskan|1990]]
|Allsvenskan
|26||0||2||0||colspan="2"|–||28||0
|-
|[[1991 Allsvenskan|1991]]
|Allsvenskan
|28||0||6||0||4||0||38||0
|-
|[[1992 Allsvenskan|1992]]
|Allsvenskan
|24||0||1||0||4||0||29||0
|-
|[[1993 Allsvenskan|1993]]
|Allsvenskan
|26||0||3||0||4||0||33||0
|-
|[[1994 Allsvenskan|1994]]
|Allsvenskan
|25||0||1||0||8||0||34||0
|-
|[[1995 Allsvenskan|1995]]
|Allsvenskan
|20||0||6||0||3||0||29||0
|-
|[[1996 Allsvenskan|1996]]
|Allsvenskan
|17||0||5||0||8||0||30||0
|-
|[[1997 Allsvenskan|1997]]
|Allsvenskan
|23||0||1||0||7||0||31||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!211!!0!!30!!0!!40!!0!!281!!0
|-
|[[Tampa Bay Mutiny]]
|[[1998 Major League Soccer season|1998]]
|[[Major League Soccer]]
|23||0||||||colspan="2"|–||||
|-
|Östers IF
|[[1999 Swedish football Division 1|1999]]
|[[1999 Swedish football Division 1|Division 1 Södra]]
|8||0||||||colspan="2"|–||||
|-
!colspan="3"|Career total
!461!!0!!!!!!!!!!!!
|}

=== International ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Appearances and goals by national team and year<ref>{{Cite web |title=Thomas Ravelli, Svensk fotboll |url=https://www.svenskfotboll.se/spelarfakta/thomas-ravelli/e24b2999-9ef5-4cee-a2ed-95e2cbd9bfcb/ |website=Svensk fotboll}}</ref>
!National team
!Year
!Apps
!Goals
|-
| rowspan="17" |[[Sweden men's national football team|Sweden]]
|1981
|10
|0
|-
|1982
|7
|0
|-
|1983
|10
|0
|-
|1984
|6
|0
|-
|1985
|6
|0
|-
|1986
|4
|0
|-
|1987
|9
|0
|-
|1988
|8
|0
|-
|1989
|8
|0
|-
|1990
|10
|0
|-
|1991
|7
|0
|-
|1992
|10
|0
|-
|1993
|9
|0
|-
|1994
|17
|0
|-
|1995
|7
|0
|-
|1996
|5
|0
|-
|1997
|10
|0
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!143
!0
|}

==Honours==
'''Östers IF'''
*[[Allsvenskan]]: [[1978 Allsvenskan|1978]], [[1980 Allsvenskan|1980]], [[1981 Allsvenskan|1981]]

'''IFK Göteborg'''
*[[Allsvenskan]]: [[1990 Allsvenskan|1990]], [[1991 Allsvenskan|1991]], [[1993 Allsvenskan|1993]], [[1994 Allsvenskan|1994]], [[1995 Allsvenskan|1995]], [[1996 Allsvenskan|1996]]
*[[Svenska Cupen]]: [[1991 Svenska Cupen|1991]]
'''Sweden'''
*[[FIFA World Cup]] bronze: [[1994 FIFA World Cup|1994]]
'''Individual'''
*[[Guldbollen]]: 1981
*[[Swedish Goalkeeper of the Year]]: 1995, 1997
*[[IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper]]: Silver Ball 1994,<ref name=RSSSF/> Bronze Ball 1995<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/iffhs-gkoy95.html IFFHS' World's Best Goalkeeper of the Year 1995]; at RSSSF</ref>
*[[MLS All-Star Game|MLS All-Star]], [[1998 MLS All-Star Game|1998]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 2, 1998 |title=1998 MLS All-Star Game |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/1998-mls-all-star-game-373141 |access-date=July 27, 2023 |work=MLSsoccer.com}}</ref>
* [[Årets Ärkeängel]]: 1991<ref>{{Cite web|title=Alla 47 ärkeänglar {{!}} ifkdb.se|url=https://ifkdb.se/listor/arkeanglar|website=ifkdb.se|access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of European association football families]]
* [[List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{NFT|14176}}
*{{FIFA|44554}}
*{{EU-Football.info|17455}}
* {{ifkdb|name=#1 Thomas Ravelli}}
{{navboxes
|title=Sweden squads
|bg= #FFF01C
|fg= #005B99
|bordercolor= #005B99
|list1=
{{Sweden Squad 1990 World Cup}}
{{Sweden Squad 1992 Euro}}
{{Sweden Squad 1994 World Cup}}
}}
{{Swedish Footballer of the Year}}
{{Swedish Football Hall of Fame}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ravelli, Thomas}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Swedish twins]]
[[Category:Swedish people of Austrian descent]]
[[Category:Swedish people of Italian descent]]
[[Category:Swedish men's footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football goalkeepers]]
[[Category:Allsvenskan players]]
[[Category:Östers IF players]]
[[Category:IFK Göteborg players]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer players]]
[[Category:Tampa Bay Mutiny players]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer All-Stars]]
[[Category:Sweden men's international footballers]]
[[Category:1990 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:1994 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:UEFA Euro 1992 players]]
[[Category:Sweden men's under-21 international footballers]]
[[Category:Sweden men's youth international footballers]]
[[Category:Swedish expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States]]
[[Category:Swedish expatriate sportspeople in the United States]]
[[Category:FIFA Men's Century Club]]
[[Category:People from Växjö Municipality]]
[[Category:Footballers from Kalmar County]]
[[Category:20th-century Swedish sportsmen]]
[[Category:Twin teammates in sports]]