Albin Ekdal (Swedish: [หวlหbษชn หรชหkdษหl]; born 28 July 1989) is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He is the older brother of footballer Hjalmar Ekdal.
 Ekdal with Sweden at the 2018 FIFA World Cup | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Albin Ekdal[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 28 July 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | Stockholm, Sweden | ||
| Height | 1.86ย m (6ย ft 1ย in)[1] | ||
| Position | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1996โ2006 | IF Brommapojkarna | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2007โ2008 | IF Brommapojkarna | 24 | (0) |
| 2008โ2010 | Juventus | 3 | (0) |
| 2009โ2010 | โ Siena (loan) | 26 | (1) |
| 2010โ2011 | Bologna | 22 | (1) |
| 2011โ2015 | Cagliari | 116 | (8) |
| 2015โ2018 | Hamburger SV | 54 | (1) |
| 2018โ2022 | Sampdoria | 122 | (3) |
| 2022โ2023 | Spezia | 40 | (0) |
| 2024โ2025 | Djurgรฅrdens IF | 33 | (0) |
| Total | 440 | (14) | |
| International career | |||
| 2004โ2006 | Sweden U17 | 18 | (5) |
| 2007โ2008 | Sweden U19 | 8 | (2) |
| 2008โ2010 | Sweden U21 | 12 | (2) |
| 2011โ2023 | Sweden | 70 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Formed at Brommapojkarna, Ekdal spent most of his career in Italy, where he has made over 300 Serie A appearances. He has represented Cagliari, Juventus, Siena, Bologna, Sampdoria and Spezia in the competition. He also spent three years in Germany's Bundesliga with Hamburger SV.
A full international between 2011 and 2023, Ekdal won 70 caps for the Sweden national team. He represented his country at UEFA Euro 2016, the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and UEFA Euro 2020.
Club career
editBrommapojkarna
editAlbin Ekdal started his professional playing career with Brommapojkarna at the beginning of the 2007 Allsvenskan season. He played mainly as a central midfielder but also as an attacking midfielder or right midfielder.
Juventus
editOn 23 May 2008, Ekdal signed a four-year contract with Juventus of Italy's Serie A.[2] He made his Serie A and club debut on 18 October in a 2โ1 away defeat to Napoli, coming on as a substitute in the 75th minute for Christian Poulsen.[3]
Loan to Siena
editOn 15 July 2009, fellow Italian top-flight club Siena signed Ekdal on loan for a season.[4] He made 27 appearances for the Tuscans, who were ultimately relegated at the end of the season, and scored once, in a 4โ3 loss away to eventual treble winners Inter Milan on 9 January 2010.[5]
Bologna
editOn 28 June 2010, Juventus sold 50% of their ownership rights of Ekdal to Bologna. As per the deal, the two clubs would agree at the start of each season who would have him as a player.[6] He played 23 total games for the Rossoblu and scored on the anniversary of his last goal, to open a 2โ0 win at Bari.[7]
Cagliari
edit
ย On 23 August 2011, Ekdal was sold to fellow Serie A team Cagliari on a three-year deal for โฌ3 million.[8]
On 28 September 2014, Ekdal scored a hat-trick as Cagliari won 4โ1 at Inter Milan.[9]
Hamburger SV
editOn 18 July 2015, German club Hamburger SV signed Ekdal from Cagliari on a four-year deal for โฌ4.5 million with wages of โฌ600,000 per season.[10] He was given the number 20 shirt.
He played 57 games for the side in total, who struggled against relegation in each of his three years with the team, ending with their ultimate descent into the 2. Bundesliga in 2018. He scored once for the team from Hamburg, the only goal of a home win against Hertha BSC on 5 March 2017.[11]
On 21 January 2017, Ekdal received the first red card of his career, after 33 minutes of a 1โ0 loss at VfL Wolfsburg.[12]
Sampdoria
editOn 14 August 2018, following Hamburg's relegation from the Bundesliga, Ekdal returned to Serie A by signing for Sampdoria.[13]
Spezia
editOn 13 July 2022, Ekdal signed a two-year contract with Spezia.[14]
Djurgรฅrden
editOn 30 December 2023, Ekdal moved back to Sweden and Stockholm after 16 years abroad, he signed for Djurgรฅrdens IF, the club he supported as a child.
Retirement
editOn 28 November 2025, Ekdal announced his retirement from professional football.[15]
International career
edit
ย Ekdal made his debut for Sweden on 10 August 2011 in a friendly game away to Ukraine in Kharkiv. He came on as a 60th-minute substitute for Sebastian Larsson in a 1โ0 win.
Ekdal was named in Sweden's 23-man squad for UEFA Euro 2016 in France, despite a deep cut in his back from celebrating Hamburg's recent Bundesliga survival putting his involvement at risk.[16] He played each match as the Swedes came bottom of their group.
In June 2018 Ekdal was named in Sweden's 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.[17] He played all five games of a run to the quarter-finals.
Ekdal was included in Sweden's 26-man squad for UEFA Euro 2020.[18]
After Sweden failed to qualify for UEFA Euro 2024, Ekdal announced his retirement from international football. On 20 November 2023, he made his final appearance in Sweden's qualifier against Estonia in Stockholm, captaining the team and playing 72 minutes before being substituted to a standing ovation from the Friends Arena crowd.[19]
Personal life
editEkdal grew up in Hรถglandet, an affluent suburb in Vรคsterort, Stockholm. He is the son of Lennart Ekdal, an award-winning Swedish journalist, TV personality and newscaster known for his work for the newspaper Dagens Nyheter and the financial magazine Veckans Affรคrer, as well as hosting TV shows such as Kalla fakta, Halvtid fรถr Reinfeldt (with Fredrik Reinfeldt), Kvรคllsรถppet med Ekdal & Hakelius and Hetluft.[20][21]
Ekdal's younger brother, Hjalmar Ekdal, is a professional footballer who plays for English Premier League club Burnley as well as the Sweden national team.[22]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of match played 4 June 2023[23]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Brommapojkarna | 2007 | Allsvenskan | 15 | 0 | โ | โ | โ | 15 | 0 | |||
| 2008 | Superettan | 9 | 0 | โ | โ | โ | 9 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | ||
| Juventus | 2008โ09 | Serie A | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | โ | 3 | 0 | |
| 2009โ10 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | โ | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2010โ11 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | โ | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Siena (loan) | 2009โ10 | Serie A | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | โ | โ | 27 | 1 | ||
| Bologna | 2010โ11 | Serie A | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | โ | โ | 23 | 1 | ||
| Cagliari | 2011โ12 | Serie A | 30 | 1 | 1 | 0 | โ | โ | 31 | 1 | ||
| 2012โ13 | Serie A | 31 | 1 | 3 | 0 | โ | โ | 34 | 1 | |||
| 2013โ14 | Serie A | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | โ | โ | 23 | 1 | |||
| 2014โ15 | Serie A | 33 | 5 | 1 | 0 | โ | โ | 34 | 5 | |||
| Total | 116 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 122 | 9 | ||
| Hamburger SV | 2015โ16 | Bundesliga | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | โ | โ | 15 | 0 | ||
| 2016โ17 | Bundesliga | 21 | 1 | 2 | 0 | โ | โ | 23 | 1 | |||
| 2017โ18 | Bundesliga | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | โ | โ | 19 | 0 | |||
| Total | 54 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 1 | ||
| Sampdoria | 2018โ19 | Serie A | 32 | 0 | 1 | 0 | โ | โ | 33 | 0 | ||
| 2019โ20 | Serie A | 32 | 0 | 1 | 0 | โ | โ | 33 | 0 | |||
| 2020โ21 | Serie A | 32 | 2 | 1 | 0 | โ | โ | 33 | 2 | |||
| 2021โ22 | Serie A | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | โ | โ | 27 | 1 | |||
| Total | 122 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 126 | 3 | ||
| Spezia | 2022โ23 | Serie A | 31 | 0 | 2 | 1 | โ | 0 | 0 | 33 | 1 | |
| Career total | 376 | 14 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 394 | 15 | ||
International
edit| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden | 2011 | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 70 | 0 | |
Honours
editIndividual
- Swedish Midfielder of the Year: 2013,[24] 2014,[25] 2015[26]
- Stor Grabb: 2016[27]
References
edit- ^ a b "2018 FIFA World Cup Russia โ List of Players" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fรฉdรฉration Internationale de Football Association. 4 June 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
- ^ Albin Ekdal signs 4-year contract with Juventus Archived 26 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Al San Paolo Amauri illude la Juve, ora per Ranieri si fa buio pesto". La Repubblica (in Italian). 18 October 2008. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
- ^ Mancini, Riccardo (15 July 2009). "Ekdal in prestito al Siena" (in Italian). Tutto Mercato Web. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
- ^ "Search Results Web results Serie A: Inter 4-3 Siena". Inter Milan. 9 January 2010. Retrieved 15 March 2020.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Albin Ekdal flyttar till Bologna". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 28 July 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
- ^ "Ekdal apre, Di Vaio chiude, Il Bari crolla: รจ tutto da rifare". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 9 January 2011. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
- ^ "Accordo con la societa' Cagliari Calcio relativo al calciatore Albin Ekdal" (PDF) (in Italian). Juventus F.C. 23 August 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
- ^ "Inter 1 Cagliari 4: Ekdal hat-trick inspires sensational away win". Four Four Two. 28 September 2014. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
- ^ "Hamburg announce Albin Ekdal signing". Soccernews. 18 July 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
- ^ "Ekdal gives Hamburg's survival hopes boost; Freiburg edge Eintracht". ESPN FC. PA Sport. 5 March 2017. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
- ^ Fredriksson, Emelie; Jรถnsson, Fredrik. "Albin Ekdal fick karriรคrens fรถrsta rรถda kort". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 15 March 2020.
- ^ "Ekdal arrives from Hamburg on a permanent deal". U.C. Sampdoria. 16 August 2018.
- ^ "ALBIN EKDAL IS A NEW SPEZIA PLAYER". Spezia. 13 July 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
- ^ "Tack fรถr allt, Albin Ekdal!". 28 November 2025. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
- ^ "Injury doubt Ekdal included in Sweden's Euro 2016 squad". Goal. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
- ^ Crawford, Stephen (4 June 2018). "Revealed: Every World Cup 2018 squad - Final 23-man lists". Goal. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
- ^ "Sweden Euro 2020 squad: Full team profile". FourFourTwo. 14 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- ^ "Why Lindelof Gave Up The Sweden Armband". Manchester United F.C. 21 November 2023.
- ^ "Lennart Ekdal prisad fรถr sin journalistik โ Kvรคllsรถppet โ tv4.se". Archived from the original on 23 February 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
- ^ "Sveriges Radio โ Sidan finns ej". Retrieved 17 June 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ ""Fรถrsรคmrar inte chansen att fรฅ hem Albin Ekdal"" (in Swedish). Expressen. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ a b Albin Ekdal at Soccerway
- ^ "ร rets mittfรคltare 2013: Bachmann och Ekdal โ fogis.se". fogis.se. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
- ^ "ร rets mittfรคltare 2014: Ekdal och Seger โ fogis.se". fogis.se. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
- ^ "ร rets mittfรคltare 2015: Seger och Ekdal โ fogis.se". fogis.se. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
- ^ "Stora Grabbars Mรคrke - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 September 2021.
External links
edit
- Albin Ekdal โ UEFA competition record (archive)ย
- Albin Ekdal at the Swedish Football Association (in Swedish)
- Albin Ekdal national team profile at SvFF (in Swedish) (archived) (archive)
- Albin Ekdal at Soccerway
- Goal.com profile
