Albin Ekdal

Albin Ekdal (born 28 July 1989) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Allsvenskan club Djurgårdens IF.

Formed at IF Brommapojkarna, Ekdal has 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.

Brommapojkarna
Albin 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
On 23 May 2008, Ekdal signed a four-year contract with Juventus of Italy's Serie A. He made his Serie A and club debut on 18 October in a 2–1 away defeat to Napoli, coming on as a substitute in the 75th minute for Christian Poulsen.

Loan to Siena
On 15 July 2009, fellow Italian top-flight club Siena signed Ekdal on loan for a season. He made 27 appearances for the Tuscans, who were ultimately relegated at the end of the season, and scored once, in a 4–3 loss away to eventual treble winners Inter Milan on 9 January 2010.

Bologna
On 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. He played 23 total games for the Rossoblu and scored on the anniversary of his last goal, to open a 2–0 win at Bari.

Cagliari
On 23 August 2011, Ekdal was sold to fellow Serie A team Cagliari on a three-year deal for €3 million.

On 28 September 2014, Ekdal scored a hat-trick as Cagliari won 4–1 at Inter Milan.

Hamburger SV
On 18 July 2015, German club Hamburger SV signed Ekdal from Cagliari on a four-year deal for €4.5 million with wages of €600,000 per season. 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.

On 21 January 2017, Ekdal received the first red card of his career, after 33 minutes of a 1–0 loss at VfL Wolfsburg.

Sampdoria
On 14 August 2018, following Hamburg's relegation from the Bundesliga, Ekdal returned to Serie A by signing for Sampdoria.

Spezia
On 13 July 2022, Ekdal signed a two-year contract with Spezia.

Djurgården
On 30 December 2023, Ekdal moved back to Sweden and Stockholm after 16 years abroad, he signed for Djurgårdens IF, the club he supported as a child.

International career
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 1–0 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. 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. 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.

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.

Personal life
Ekdal grew up in Höglandet, an affluent suburb in Västerort, 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 Affärer, as well as hosting TV shows such as Kalla fakta, Halvtid för Reinfeldt (with Fredrik Reinfeldt), Kvällsöppet med Ekdal & Hakelius and Hetluft.

Ekdal's younger brother, Hjalmar Ekdal, is also a professional footballer who plays for Premier League club Burnley as well as the Sweden national football team.

Honours
Individual


 * Swedish Midfielder of the Year: 2013, 2014, 2015
 * Stor Grabb: 2016