. ▁ ▁Joh ns en ▁retired ▁as ▁an ▁active ▁football ▁player ▁on ▁ 3 ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁with ▁V å ler eng a ▁losing ▁their ▁final ▁game ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁season ▁ 1 – 0 ▁to ▁SK ▁Bran n . ▁ ▁International ▁career ▁Joh ns en ▁did ▁not ▁represent ▁Norway ▁at ▁youth ▁level ; ▁but ▁while ▁Joh ns en ▁was ▁playing ▁for ▁E ik ▁at ▁the ▁second ▁tier , ▁national ▁team ▁coach ▁Eg il ▁O ls en , ▁because ▁of ▁a ▁recommendation ▁from ▁N ils ▁Johan ▁S emb , ▁included ▁Joh ns en ▁in ▁his ▁squad ▁without ▁having ▁seen ▁him ▁play . ▁Joh ns en ▁made ▁his ▁debut ▁for ▁the ▁Norwegian ▁national ▁team ▁in ▁a ▁friendly ▁match ▁against ▁Sweden ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁He ▁played ▁as ▁wing , ▁stri ker ▁and ▁mid f iel der ▁during ▁his ▁early ▁career ▁at ▁the ▁national ▁team , ▁before ▁he ▁was ▁used ▁primarily ▁as ▁a ▁centre ▁back . ▁Joh ns en ▁played ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁matches ▁in ▁the ▁qual ification ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁FIFA ▁World ▁Cup , ▁and ▁played ▁as ▁a ▁stri ker ▁when ▁Norway ▁won ▁ 3 – 0 ▁away ▁against ▁Poland ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁and ▁qualified ▁for ▁the ▁World ▁Cup , ▁but ▁was ▁left ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁squad ▁that ▁travel led ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁Four ▁years ▁later , ▁Joh ns en ▁was ▁an ▁obvious ▁choice ▁as ▁a ▁centre ▁back , ▁and ▁played ▁all ▁four ▁matches