View source for Jonas Claesson

{{Short description|Swedish bandy player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox bandy biography
| name           = Jonas Claesson
| image          = 
| caption        = 
| fullname       = Jonas Alf Magnus Claesson
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|1970|12|1|df=yes}}
| birth_place    = [[Sävsjö]], [[Sweden]]
| height         =
| position       = [[Forward (bandy)|Forward]]
| currentclub    = 
| clubnumber     = 
| youthyears1    =
| youthclubs1    = [[Sävsjö BK]]
| years1         = 1986–1996
| clubs1         = [[Vetlanda BK]]
| caps1          = 237
| goals1         = 411
| years2         = 1996–2002
| clubs2         = [[Hammarby IF Bandy|Hammarby IF]]
| caps2          = 178
| goals2         = 362
| nationalyears1 = 1991–1999
| nationalteam1  = [[Sweden national bandy team|Sweden]]
| nationalcaps1  = 82
| nationalgoals1 = 144
| medals-title   = Medal record
| medals-expand  = yes
| medals         = 
{{MedalSport|Men's [[bandy]]|}}
{{MedalCountry|{{SWE}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Bandy World Championship|World Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1993 Bandy World Championship|1993 Hamar]]|Team}}
{{MedalGold|[[1995 Bandy World Championship|1995 Roseville]]|Team}}
{{MedalGold|[[1997 Bandy World Championship|1997 Västerås]]|Team}}
{{MedalSilver|[[1991 Bandy World Championship|1991 Helsinki]]|Team}}
{{MedalBronze|[[1999 Bandy World Championship|1999 Arkhangelsk]]|Team}}
| manageryears1 = 2008–2010
| managerclubs1 = [[Vetlanda BK]]
| manageryears2 = 2010–2011
| managerclubs2 = [[Kuzbass Kemerovo Bandy Club|Kuzbass]]
| manageryears3 = 2013–2015
| managerclubs3 = [[Sweden national bandy team|Sweden]]
| manageryears4 = 2015–2016
| managerclubs4 = Vetlanda BK
| manageryears5 = 2022–
| managerclubs5 = Hammarby IF
}}

'''Jonas Claesson''' (born 1 December 1970) is a former [[Sweden|Swedish]] [[bandy]] player and coach. One of the most renowned Swedish players, he played as a forward for [[Vetlanda BK]] and [[Hammarby IF Bandy|Hammarby IF]] at club level. He won three [[Bandy World Championship|World Championships]] with [[Sweden national bandy team|Sweden]] and is a member of the [[Swedish Bandy Hall of Fame]].

==Club career==
===Vetlanda BK===
Born and raised in [[Sävsjö]], Claesson started to play bandy with local club [[Sävsjö BK]] as a youngster before joining [[Vetlanda BK]]. On 14 January 1987, at age 17, Claesson made his debut in the top tier [[Allsvenskan and Elitserien (bandy)|Allsvenskan]] for the club, scoring a brace in a 13–4 win against [[Örebro SK Bandy|Örebro SK]].<ref name="swehalloffame">{{cite web|url=https://www.svenskbandy.se/BANDY-INFO/FORBUNDET/Historikochstatistik/halloffame2/InvaldaiHallofFame/11.JonasClaesson/|title=11. Jonas Claesson|publisher=[[Swedish Bandy Association]]|access-date=4 May 2021|language=Swedish}}</ref>

He reached his first national final with the club in 1989, but lost 7–3 to [[Västerås SK Bandy|Västerås SK]]. In 1991, Claesson won the [[List of Swedish bandy champions|Swedish Championship]] with Vetlanda BK, in a 4–2 win against Västerås SK. It was followed up by a consecutive title in 1992, defeating [[IF Boltic]] 4–3 in the final, in a season where Claesson became the top scorer in Allsvenskan for the first time in his career.<ref name="swehalloffame"/> Claesson was awarded the prize as Swedish Bandy Player of the Year in both 1991 and 1992, Vetlanda BK's gold winning seasons.<ref name="playeroftheyear">{{cite web|url=https://www.svenskbandy.se/BANDY-INFO/FORBUNDET/Historikochstatistik/arligautmarkelser/aretsspelareherr|title=11. Jonas Claesson|publisher=[[Swedish Bandy Association]]|access-date=4 May 2021|language=Swedish}}</ref>

Claesson followed up his success by being the top scorer in Allsvenskan in 1993, 1995 and 1996. Remaining among the top Swedish bandy clubs, Vetlanda BK reached the national final in both 1994 and 1995, but lost to Västerås SK and IF Boltic. He left in 1996 and reclaimed the award as Swedish Bandy Player of the Year in his final season with Vetlanda BK. In total, Claesson scored 411 goals in 237 regular season and playoff games for the club.<ref name="swehalloffame"/><ref name="playeroftheyear"/>

===Hammarby IF===
In 1996, Claesson joined [[Hammarby IF Bandy|Hammarby IF]], that had been promoted to Allsvenskan two years earlier.<ref name="hamhalloffame">{{cite web|url=https://hammarbybandy.se/hall-of-fame/|title=Hall of Fame|publisher=[[Hammarby IF Bandy]]|access-date=4 May 2021|language=Swedish}}</ref>

He remained as the league's top scorer in 1997, 1998 and 1999, helping establishing the club as a serious contender for the Swedish Championship. Claesson reached the national final with Hammarby IF in both 2000 and 2001, but lost to [[Sandvikens AIK]] and Västerås SK.<ref name="swehalloffame"/>

Claesson was voted as Swedish Bandy Player of the Year in both 1999 and 2000, meaning that he is the only player that has been awarded the prize five times in his career, together with Bernt Ericsson from [[Falu BS]] who was active in the 1970s.<ref name="playeroftheyear"/>

In 2002, at age 31, Claesson retired from bandy due to a back injury.<ref name="hamhalloffame"/> He scored a total of 362 goals for Hammarby IF in 178 matches, bringing his total scoring tally in Allsvenskan to 773 goals in 441 games.<ref name="swehalloffame"/> The record was not broken until 2016, when [[David Karlsson (bandy)|David Karlsson]] surpassed Claesson as the all-time top scorer in the Swedish first division.<ref name="davidkarlsson">{{cite web|url=https://vlbk.se/2019/05/14/en-legend-avslutar-karriaren-pa-topp-sagan-om-guldkaptenen-david-karlsson-slutar-har/|title=En legend avslutar karriären på topp – sagan om guldkaptenen David Karlsson slutar här|publisher=[[Villa Lidköping BK]]|access-date=4 May 2021|language=Swedish}}</ref>

After his playing career had ended, Claesson was inducted into the [[Swedish Bandy Hall of Fame]].<ref name="swehalloffame"/>

==International career==
He played his first [[Bandy World Championship|World Championship]] for [[Sweden national bandy team|Sweden]] in [[1991 Bandy World Championship|1991]], where his country lost 3–4 to the [[Soviet Union national bandy team|Soviet Union]] in the final, with Claesson being the top scorer of the tournament.<ref name="swehalloffame"/>

Claesson won his first gold medal in the [[1993 Bandy World Championship|1993]] World Championship, beating [[Russia national bandy team|Russia]] 8–0 in the final. The success was followed up in [[1995 Bandy World Championship|1995]], through a 6–4 win against the same opponent, and in [[1993 Bandy World Championship|1997]], through a 10–5 win. Claesson remained as the top scorer in all three gold winning tournaments.<ref name="swehalloffame"/>

He played his final World Championship in 1999, where Sweden finished in third place, winning the bronze medal.<ref name="swehalloffame"/> In total, Claesson won 82 caps for his country and scored 144 goals.<ref name="caps">{{cite web|url=https://www.svenskbandy.se/LANDSLAG/HERRLANDSLAGET/HISTORIKOCHSTATISTIK/Minst50A-landskamper/|title=Minst 50 A-landskamper|publisher=[[Swedish Bandy Association]]|access-date=26 March 2021|language=Swedish}}</ref>

Claesson is a recipient of the [[Swedish Bandy Association]]'s honorary award [[List of bandy players awarded Stora Grabbars och Tjejers Märke|Stora Grabbars Märke]].<ref name="storagrabbar">{{cite web|url=https://www.svenskbandy.se/LANDSLAG/HERRLANDSLAGET/HISTORIKOCHSTATISTIK/STORAGRABBAR/|title=Stora Grabbar|publisher=[[Swedish Bandy Association]]|access-date=26 March 2021|language=Swedish}}</ref>

==Coaching career==
After his playing career ended, Claesson worked as a [[pundit]] for Radiosporten, the sport section of [[Sveriges Radio]].<ref name="pundit">{{cite web|url=https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/781477|title=Jonas Claesson, expertkommentator|publisher=[[Sveriges Radio]]|access-date=26 March 2021|language=Swedish}}</ref>

In 2008, Claesson was appointed as the head coach of Vetlanda BK in [[Elitserien (bandy)|Elitserien]], where he stayed for two seasons. When his contract expired in 2010, he joined Russian club [[Kuzbass Kemerovo Bandy Club|Kuzbass]] on a one-year deal, becoming only the second Swedish coach ever to work in the country.<ref name="manager">{{cite web|url=https://www.laget.se/vebk/news/4060326/JONAS-CLAESSON-NY-TRANARE-I-VETLANDA-BANDYKLUBB|title=Jonas Claesson ny tränare i Vetlanda Bandyklubb|publisher=[[Vetlanda BK]]|access-date=26 March 2021|language=Swedish}}</ref>

Claesson became the new head coach of the Swedish national team in 2013, replacing Franco Bergman. He led his country to two finals in the [[2014 Bandy World Championship|2014]] and [[2015 Bandy World Championship|2015]] World Championship's, but lost to Russia in both tournaments.<ref name="manager"/>

In 2015, Claesson returned to his former club Vetlanda BK, but left the club at the end of 2016 due to poor results.<ref name="manager"/>

On 25 April 2022, Claesson became the new head coach of his former club Hammarby IF, signing a two-year deal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hammarbybandy.se/jonas-claesson-ny-huvudtranare-i-hammarby-bandy/|title=Jonas Claesson ny huvudtränare i Hammarby Bandy|publisher=[[Hammarby IF Bandy]]|access-date=29 April 2022|language=Swedish}}</ref>

==Honours==
===Club===
'''Vetlanda BK'''
*[[List of Swedish bandy champions|Swedish Championship]]: 1991, 1992
*[[Bandy World Cup|World Cup]]: 1988, 1993

'''Hammarby IF'''
*[[Bandy World Cup|World Cup]]: 1999, 2001

===International===
'''Sweden'''
*[[Bandy World Championship|World Championship]]: 1993, 1995, 1997

===Individual===
*Swedish Bandy Player of the Year: 1991, 1992, 1996, 1999, 2000
*Allsvenskan top scorer: 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
*World Championship top scorer: 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Navboxes
|title=Sweden squads
|bg= #FFF01C
|fg= #005B99
|bordercolor= #005B99
|list1=
{{Sweden squad 1993 Bandy World Championship}}
{{Sweden squad 1995 Bandy World Championship}}
{{Sweden squad 1997 Bandy World Championship}}
}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Claesson, Jonas}}
[[Category:1970 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Swedish bandy players]]
[[Category:Vetlanda BK players]]
[[Category:Hammarby IF Bandy players]]
[[Category:Sweden international bandy players]]
[[Category:Bandy World Championship-winning players]]