[2] At club level Carlsen played for SK Sprint-Jeløy in Norway, then joined Japanese L. League team Nikko Securities Dream Ladies on a professional contract.

In July 1989 Carlsen played in Norway's 4–1 defeat by West Germany in the 1989 European Competition for Women's Football final.

Two years later, the competition had been rebranded as the UEFA Women's Championship and Carlsen's Norway again lost to the Germans in the final, 3–1 this time.

Carlsen got her first winner's medal with the national team when Norway beat hosts Italy 1–0 in the 1993 UEFA Women's Championship final.

Carlsen played in Norway's 1997 UEFA Women's Championship campaign, then retired from international football to concentrate on her professional club career in Japan.