Albin Ekdal facts for kids
Ekdal playing for Sweden at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Albin Ekdal | ||
| Date of birth | 28 July 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | Stockholm, Sweden | ||
| Height | 1.86 m | ||
| Playing position | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Djurgårdens IF | ||
| Number | 8 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1996–2006 | IF Brommapojkarna | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2007–2008 | IF Brommapojkarna | 24 | (0) |
| 2008–2010 | Juventus | 3 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | → Siena (loan) | 26 | (1) |
| 2010–2011 | Bologna | 22 | (1) |
| 2011–2015 | Cagliari | 116 | (8) |
| 2015–2018 | Hamburger SV | 54 | (1) |
| 2018–2022 | Sampdoria | 122 | (3) |
| 2022–2023 | Spezia | 40 | (0) |
| 2024– | Djurgårdens IF | 17 | (0) |
| National team | |||
| 2004–2006 | Sweden U17 | 18 | (5) |
| 2007–2008 | Sweden U19 | 8 | (2) |
| 2008–2010 | Sweden U21 | 12 | (2) |
| 2011–2023 | Sweden | 70 | (0) |
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Albin Ekdal is a Swedish professional footballer born on 28 July 1989. He plays as a defensive midfielder for the Swedish club Djurgårdens IF.
Albin Ekdal started his football journey at IF Brommapojkarna. He has spent most of his career playing in Italy, where he appeared in over 300 matches in the top league, Serie A. He also played for three years in Germany's top league, the Bundesliga.
He was a key player for the Swedish national team from 2011 to 2023. He played in important tournaments like UEFA Euro 2016, the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and UEFA Euro 2020.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting at Brommapojkarna
Albin Ekdal began his professional football career with IF Brommapojkarna in 2007. He usually played as a central midfielder. Sometimes, he also played as an attacking midfielder or on the right side of the field.
Moving to Italy: Juventus and Siena
In 2008, Albin signed a four-year contract with Juventus, a big club in Italy's Serie A. He made his first appearance for Juventus and in Serie A on 18 October.
In 2009, he went on loan to another Italian club, Siena, for one season. He played 27 games for Siena and scored one goal.
Playing for Bologna and Cagliari
In 2010, Albin moved to Bologna. He played 23 games for them and scored one goal.
Then, in 2011, he joined Cagliari, another Serie A team. He stayed with Cagliari for four years.
A memorable moment came on 28 September 2014, when Albin scored three goals in one game (a hat-trick) as Cagliari beat Inter Milan 4–1.
Time in Germany: Hamburger SV
In 2015, Albin moved to Germany to play for Hamburger SV. He signed a four-year deal with the club. He wore the number 20 shirt.
He played 57 games for Hamburger SV. The team faced challenges and was eventually moved down to a lower league in 2018. Albin scored one goal for the team in a 1–0 win against Hertha BSC in 2017.
In a game against VfL Wolfsburg in January 2017, Albin received the first red card of his career.
Return to Italy: Sampdoria and Spezia
After Hamburg was moved to a lower league, Albin returned to Italy in 2018. He signed with Sampdoria in Serie A.
In 2022, Albin signed a two-year contract with Spezia, another Italian club.
Coming Home: Djurgården
On 30 December 2023, Albin Ekdal moved back to Sweden after 16 years playing abroad. He joined Djurgårdens IF, which was the club he supported when he was a child.
International Career
Albin Ekdal made his first appearance for the Swedish national team on 10 August 2011. This was in a friendly game against Ukraine. He came into the game as a substitute in the 60th minute.
He was chosen for Sweden's team for UEFA Euro 2016 in France. He played in every match during the tournament.
In June 2018, Albin was also part of Sweden's team for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He played in all five games as Sweden reached the quarter-finals of the tournament.
Albin was also included in Sweden's team for UEFA Euro 2020.
After Sweden did not qualify for UEFA Euro 2024, Albin announced he would stop playing for the national team. His final game was on 20 November 2023, against Estonia. He was the team captain and played for 72 minutes, receiving a standing ovation from the fans when he left the field. He played a total of 70 games for Sweden.
Personal Life
Albin Ekdal grew up in Höglandet, a suburb in Stockholm, Sweden. His father, Lennart Ekdal, is a well-known Swedish journalist and TV personality.
Albin's younger brother, Hjalmar Ekdal, is also a professional footballer. He plays for the Premier League club Burnley and also for the Sweden men's national football team.
Honours
Individual
- Swedish Midfielder of the Year: 2013, 2014, 2015
- Stor Grabb: 2016
See also
In Spanish: Albin Ekdal para niños
