PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Peter Forsberg, or “Foppa” as he is popularly called, is precisely called “Foppa” because of his surname.
Or?
Well, that’s actually not quite the whole truth.
Peter “Foppa” Forsberg is one of Sweden’s best ice hockey players of all time. After his years in the NHL and most notably with the Colorado Avalanche, he has gained an almost god-like status, and was a big factor in the club taking home its first Stanley Cup title in 1996.
Nickname “Foppa”
As everyone knows, the Swedish giant goes by the nickname “Foppa”, and it is easy to believe that that particular nickname comes from something as simple as his surname Forsberg. That is true, but only to a certain extent. In fact, the whole truth is somewhat different.
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In the hockey podcast Spittin’ Chiclets, Peter Forsberg talks about how the nickname came about.
– I think it was the media that gave me the nickname. There was a footballer where I come from who played in the Allsvenskan and he was called “Lill-Foppa”. And his last name was Forsberg.
– So everyone called me “Foppa” after that, at least in Sweden, says Forsberg in the podcast.
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The person in question is Leif “Lill-Foppa” Forsberg, who played football in GIF Sundsvall. Just like his son, Emil Forsberglater would do.
“Hated that…”
Being called Peter was apparently not entirely popular with himself, and the nickname therefore quickly caught on.
– I hated being called Peter when I was little, I thought it felt a bit harsh somehow. Foppa was much better, I liked it much better and enjoyed that nickname, says Peter Forsberg.
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