Hans Eskilsson

Hans Vimmo Eskilsson (born 23 January 1966) is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a striker and defender. Starting off his career with IFK Östersund, he went on to represent clubs such as IFK Norrköping, Hammarby IF, Sporting CP, Braga, AIK, and Hearts during a career that spanned between 1983 and 2003. A full international between 1988 and 1990, he won eight caps for the Sweden national team and scored two goals. He was a part of the Sweden Olympic team that competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics.

Hans Eskilsson
Personal information
Full name Hans Vimmo Eskilsson
Date of birth (1966-01-23) 23 January 1966
Place of birth Östersund, Sweden
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Striker, defender
Youth career
1973–1975 Ope IF
1976–1983 IFK Östersund
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1983–1984 IFK Östersund 28 (20)
1985–1987 IFK Norrköping 57 (7)
1988 Hammarby IF 15 (1)
1988–1989 Sporting CP 7 (1)
1989–1990 Braga 22 (2)
1991 AIK 12 (1)
1991 Estoril 4 (0)
1992–1995 Hammarby IF 73 (47)
1995 Vasalund 10 (8)
1995–1996 Hearts 11 (2)
1996–2001 Hammarby IF 97 (11)
2002–2003 Östersunds FK 5 (0)
Total 341 (100)
International career
1986–1988 Sweden U21/O 16 (3)
1988–1990 Sweden 8 (2)
Managerial career
2002–2003 Östersunds FK
2004 Enköping
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Early years and Portugal

Eskilsson was born in Östersund, Jämtland County. After starting in the lower leagues with local IFK Östersund, he moved in 1985 to the top division with IFK Norrköping, then competed in the 1988 season with fellow league side Hammarby IF.

Eskilsson moved to Portugal at the age of 22, joining Sporting CP as an electoral asset of future president Jorge Gonçalves:[1] during the better part of the following three seasons in the country – with a brief spell in his country with AIK Fotboll in between[2]– he only scored three goals for as many teams, also representing S.C. Braga[3] and G.D. Estoril Praia.[4]

Hammarby IF and Hearts

In 1992 Eskilsson returned to former club Hammarby, netting 40 goals in his first two campaigns combined and promoting to the top level in the second. In early November 1995, after a short stint at Solna-based Vasalunds IF, he moved to Scotland to play for Heart of Midlothian in the Premier Division, being sparingly played during the season and being released as his contract was not renewed.

Aged 30, Eskilsson joined Hammarby for a third spell in 1996, finding the side in the second tier and again helping it achieve promotion. He also began featuring regularly as a central defender, forming an efficient partnership with Pétur Marteinsson; late into his final stint, however, he suffered a severe leg injury after a two-footed challenge by Daniel Hoch in a derby game against AIK, having to retire from professional football.

International career

Eskilsson gained eight caps for Sweden during two years, his debut coming in 1988. Also in that year, he played Olympic football in Seoul, appearing in two matches for the eventual quarter-finalists.[5]

Post-retirement

Shortly after retiring, Eskilsson had a short spell as a manager, coaching the then lower division clubs Östersunds FK and Enköpings SK. He subsequently became a professional poker player.[6]

Eskilsson is married to Swedish international footballer Malin Swedberg, and the couple have two children, including Williot Swedberg who is also a professional football player.[7]

Career statistics

International
Appearances and goals by national team and year[8]
National team Year Apps Goals
Sweden 1988 6 2
1989 0 0
1990 2 0
Total 8 2

International goals

Scores and results list Sweden's goal tally first.
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetitionRef
1.2 April 1988Olympiastadion, West Berlin, West Germany Soviet Union1–02–01988 Four Nations Tournament[9]
2.27 April 1988Råsunda, Solna, Sweden Wales4–14–1Friendly[10]

References
  1. Eskilsson; Estrelas Leoninas, 21 February 2007 (in Portuguese)
  2. Hans Eskilsson – Varen 1991 i AIK (Hans Eskilsson – Spring 1991 AIK) Archived 18 April 2013 at archive.today; AIK Fotboll (in Swedish)
  3. Época 1989/90: Primeira Divisão (1989/90 Season: First Division); Arquivos da Bola, 29 July 2007 (in Portuguese)
  4. Eskilsson, o rei leão de 88 é um ás no poker maisfutebol.iol.pt
  5. Hans Eskilsson – FIFA competition record (archived)
  6. Hans Eskilsson: "Jag ser pokern som ett yrke" (Hans Eskilsson: "I see poker as a profession") Archived 3 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine; Pokerspel (in Swedish)
  7. Ashdown, John (7 October 2009). "Which footballers have played two matches on the same day?". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  8. "Hans Eskilsson – Spelarstatistik – Svensk fotboll". svenskfotboll.se. (in Swedish). Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  9. "Sweden upset the Soviets". The New Straits Times. 4 April 1988. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  10. "Holmqvist skoraðl tvfvegis" [Holmqvist scored twice] (PDF) (in Icelandic). Timarit. 28 April 1988. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
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