Bengt Ove Kindvall (, 16 May 1943 – 5 August 2025) was a Swedish professional footballer who played as a striker. He started his career at IFK Norrköping, where he played until he joined Feyenoord in 1966 and became professional. The same year, he won the Guldbollen, as the best Swedish footballer of the year. He is regarded as one of Sweden's greatest ever players. A full international between 1965 and 1974, he won 43 caps and scored 16 goals for the Sweden national team. He represented his country at the 1970 and 1974 FIFA World Cups.
Club career With Feyenoord he won two national championships as well as the 1970 European Cup. In the final against Celtic he scored the winning goal in extra time. In his five seasons with the club, Kindvall scored 129 league goals in 144 games. He returned to Sweden and Norrköping 1971, where he played for three years, until ending his career in IFK Göteborg.
He was the first non-Dutchman to be named Eredivisie top scorer, doing so in 1968, 1969 and 1971. No other foreigner achieved this until Romário in 1989.
Kindvall earned the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal in 1969. In that year, he was named as the fourth best player in Europe.
International career Kindvall played 43 games with the national team and scored 16 goals. He participated in the 1970 and 1974 FIFA World Cup, playing a major role in the team's qualification for the former.
Personal life and death
He was the father of former footballers Niclas Kindvall and Tina Kindvall, and brother of Kaj Kindvall, a radio host.
Kindvall died on 5 August 2025, at the age of 82.Ove Kindvall är död vid 82 års ålder
Career statistics
International + Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsSweden1965311966641967001968331969341970301971411972501973103197460Total4316
Scores and results list Sweden's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kindvall goal.
+ List of international goals scored by Ove KindvallNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition17 November 1965Dr. Fazil Kucuk Stadium, Famagusta, Cyprus3–05–01966 FIFA World Cup qualifier227 April 1966Zentralstadion, Leipzig, East Germany1–31–4Friendly330 June 1966Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden1–12–3Friendly42–355 October 1966Råsunda, Solna, Sweden2–04–1Friendly69 October 1968Råsunda, Solna, Sweden1–05–01970 FIFA World Cup qualifier73–084–091 May 1969Malmö Stadium, Malmö, Sweden1–01–0Friendly1019 June 1969Ullevaal Stadium, Oslo, Norway3–05–21970 FIFA World Cup qualifier1115 October 1969Råsunda, Solna, Sweden1–02–01970 FIFA World Cup qualifier122–01327 June 1971Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden1–01–0Friendly1426 April 1973Parken, Copenhagen, Denmark2–12–1Friendly1513 June 1973Nepstadion, Budapest, Hungary1–13–31974 FIFA World Cup qualifier1611 November 1973Gżira Stadium, Gżira, Malta1–12–11974 FIFA World Cup qualifier
Honours IFK Norrköping Allsvenskan: 1962, 1963
Feyenoord
Intercontinental Cup: 1970 European Cup: 1969–70 Intertoto Cup: 1967, 1968 Eredivisie: 1968–69, 1970–71 KNVB Cup: 1968-69
Individual Guldbollen: 1966 Allsvenskan top scorer: 1966 Eredivisie top scorer: 1967–68, 1968–69, 1970–71 Ballon d'Or fourth place: 1969 (shared with Johan Cruyff) FUWO European Team of the Season: 1969
References
Sources Profile History of Feyenoord
External links