Junior Eldstål facts for kids
Eldstål with Johor Darul Ta'zim in 2024
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 16 September 1991 | ||
| Place of birth | Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia | ||
| Height | 1.91 m | ||
| Playing position | Centre-back | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Bangkok United | ||
| Number | 55 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2004–2007 | Aldershot | ||
| 2008–2011 | Reading | ||
| 2010–2013 | Hartpury College | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2012–2013 | Slimbridge | 11 | (2) |
| 2013–2014 | Sarawak | 55 | (2) |
| 2015–2018 | Johor Darul Ta'zim | 40 | (3) |
| 2019 | Metropolitan Police | 3 | (0) |
| 2021 | Chonburi | 32 | (2) |
| 2022–2025 | Johor Darul Ta'zim | 0 | (0) |
| 2022 | → Johor Darul Ta'zim II | 10 | (0) |
| 2023 | → PT Prachuap (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2023 | → Dewa United (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2025– | Bangkok United | 0 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2014– | Malaysia | 23 | (0) |
† Appearances (Goals). |
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Junior Gunnar Putera Eldstål, born on September 16, 1991, is a professional footballer from Malaysia. He plays as a centre-back (a defender) for the Thai club Bangkok United. Junior also plays for the Malaysia national team.
Contents
About Junior Eldstål
Early Life and Background
Junior Eldstål was born in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. His mother is Malaysian from Sabah, and his father is Swedish. When Junior was two years old, his family moved to Stockholm, Sweden. In 1999, they moved again to Guildford, England.
Youth Football Journey
Junior started his football journey in England. He played for youth teams at two English clubs: Aldershot and Reading. Even though his father is Swedish and he has a Swedish passport, Junior chose to become a Malaysian citizen. This was because his mother is from Sabah, Malaysia.
When he was 19, Junior joined the UWE Hartpury College Football Academy. There, he studied Sports Coaching while also being part of a special football program. During this time, he played part-time for Slimbridge in 2012. After that, he decided to play for Sarawak in Malaysia.
Junior's Club Career
Playing for Sarawak
In April 2013, Junior Eldstål joined Sarawak, a Malaysian football club. He made his first league appearance on April 17, 2013. Junior helped Sarawak win their first league championship in almost 16 years. They had an amazing unbeaten streak, which was a new league record.
In 2014, Sarawak moved up to the Malaysia Super League. Junior got a new contract because of his great progress. He helped his team score many goals. On April 15, he scored a goal himself, helping Sarawak win 3-2 against ATM FA. By the end of the 2013–14 season, Junior had played 55 games for Sarawak.
Time with Johor Darul Ta'zim
On November 11, 2014, Junior signed with Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT). This is one of the top football teams in Southeast Asia. He quickly became a starting player, often playing as a central defender.
Junior helped JDT win their first trophy of the season, the Charity Shield Malaysia. On March 14, he scored his first goal for JDT in the Super League, helping his team get a 1-1 draw. He scored another goal on April 24, 2015. Junior played for JDT until October 2018, when he decided to return to the UK.
Playing in England and Thailand
In March 2019, Junior played for Metropolitan Police F.C., an English non-league team. He played three games for them.
Then, in February 2021, Junior moved to Thailand and joined Chonburi F.C., a club in the Thai League 1. He quickly became a main player for the team. During the 2021-2022 Thai League 1 season, he played 32 games and scored 2 goals for Chonburi.
Back to Johor Darul Ta'zim
On July 7, 2022, Junior returned to Johor Darul Ta'zim. For the rest of the 2022 season, he played for JDT's reserve team, Johor Darul Ta'zim II.
Loan Spells
In January 2023, Junior was loaned to PT Prachuap F.C., another Thai League 1 team. He made his debut for them in April 2021. Later, in July 2023, he was loaned to Dewa United F.C., a club in Indonesia's top league, Liga 1.
International Career
Representing Malaysia
In July 2013, Junior was called to play for the Malaysia XI team. He played in friendly matches against big clubs like Chelsea and Barcelona.
On September 7, 2013, Junior played his first game for the Malaysia Under-23 team. He scored his first goal for them on September 14, 2013, in the Merdeka Cup final. Malaysia won the Asia Cup after beating Myanmar 2-0, with Junior scoring the final goal.
In September 2014, Junior was chosen to play for the Malaysia national team at the 2014 Asian Games in South Korea. He played in two games during the tournament.
Personal Life
Junior Eldstål has a mixed background, being half-Swedish and half-Malaysian. In 2013, he received the FAM Most Promising Player Award, which recognized him as a very talented young player.
Honours
Club Achievements
Johor Darul Ta'zim
- Malaysia Super League: 2015, 2016, 2017
- Piala Sumbangsih: 2015, 2016, 2018
- Malaysia FA Cup: 2016, 2024
- Malaysia Cup: 2017
- AFC Cup: 2015
Sarawak FA
- Malaysia Premier League: 2013
Chonburi
- Thai FA Cup runner-up: 2020–21
Johor Darul Ta'zim II
- Malaysia Premier League: 2022
International Achievements
- Pestabola Merdeka: 2013 (Champion); 2023 (Runner-up)
Images for kids
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Junior Eldstål playing for Johor Darul Ta'zim in 2024
See also
In Spanish: Junior Eldstål para niños
