The former full-back had a complete career change after being forced to retire early
Vegard Heggem’s Liverpool career was ruined by injury(Image: Getty Images)
A former Liverpool star opened a fishing lodge after being forced into early retirement by injury. Norwegian full-back Vegard Heggem spent five years on Merseyside after arriving from Rosenborg in 1998.
He was the first signing of Roy Evans and Gerard Houllier’s short-lived joint-managers experiment. Heggem impressed in his first two seasons, making 61 appearances, only for his career to be wrecked by injury. He featured in just four more matches before leaving the Reds and retiring from the game at the age of 28.
Many players in his situation would have turned to coaching or punditry but not Heggem, a passionate fisherman. He took that interest one step further by opening his own salmon fishing lodge in his homeland.
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He told LFCTV in 2021: “When I moved away to play football, I started to think about what to do when my playing days were over. I’ve got a passion for fishing, in particular salmon fishing, so the idea of opening a fishing lodge seemed like a great idea.
“I can’t imagine a better job now than being host for fishermen from all over the world that come here to hunt for Atlantic salmon.”
Despite his injury woes, Heggem reflects on his days at Anfield fondly, while his Aunan Lodge is adorned with Reds memorabilia. He added: “There wasn’t much I could have done differently. I was really unlucky with injuries.
Heggem has his own salmon fishing lodge in Norway(Image: Aunan Lodge)
“I did my very best to get back playing. I thought the club did everything they could to get me fit.
“But rather than be bitter or regretful about the games I didn’t play, I’d rather appreciate those games that I did play. I’ve scored in front of the Kop, what more can you really ask for?”
Heggem scored two goals in front of the Kop, the first in a 3-1 win over Middlesbrough in February 1999. He also netted in a victory by the same score over Bradford City in November of the same year.
Heggem was part of the Norway squad at the 1998 World Cup(Image: Allsport)
The now 50-year-old was also part of Liverpool history as he was the player substituted when Steven Gerrard made his debut off the bench during a 2-0 win over Blackburn in November 1998.
Heggem, who won 20 caps for his country, will presumably be tuning in when England and Norway clash in the World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday night. He was part of the last Norway squad to play at a World Cup in 1998, although he didn’t come off the bench as they reached the last 16.
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