Career
At club level Carlsen played for Saskatchewan Sprint-Jeløy in Norway, then joined Japanese L. League team Nikko Securities Dream Ladies on a professional contract. Carlsen made her debut for the senior Norway women"s national football team in June 1988, starting a 2–1 defeat by Brazil at the 1988 Fédération internationale de football association Women"s Invitation Tournament in China. In July 1989 Carlsen played in Norway"s 4–1 defeat by West Germany in the 1989 European Competition for Women"s Football final.
The match was played before 22,000 fans in Osnabrück.
Two years later, the competition had been rebranded as the Union of European Football Associations Women"s Championship and Carlsen"s Norway again lost to the Germans in the final, 3–1 this time. Norway also reached the final of the inaugural 1991 Fédération internationale de football association Women"s World Cup, held in China in November 1991.
They lost 2–1 to the United States after Michelle Akers" late winning goal in front of 63,000 at Tianhe Stadium in Guangzhou. At the inaugural Olympic women"s football tournament at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Carlsen was sent-off in Norway"s semi-final defeat by the United States.
She was suspended for the subsequent bronze medal match in which Norway defeated Brazil 2–0.
Carlsen played in Norway"s 1997 Union of European Football Associations Women"s Championship campaign, then retired from international football to concentrate on her professional club career in Japan. International
As of 19 September 2014.