Hjalmar Ekdal

Hjalmar Ekdal (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈjǎlmar ˈêːkdɑːl]; born 21 October 1998) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a central defender for Premier League club Burnley and the Sweden national team. Beginning his professional career with IK Frej in 2018, he briefly represented Assyriska FF, Hammarby IF, and IK Sirius before signing with Djurgårdens IF in 2021.

Hjalmar Ekdal
Ekdal playing for Sirius in 2020
Personal information
Full name Hjalmar Ekdal[1]
Date of birth (1998-10-21) 21 October 1998
Place of birth Stockholm, Sweden[2]
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[3]
Position(s) Central defender
Team information
Current team
 Burnley
Number 18
Youth career
0000–2017 IF Brommapojkarna
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017 UNC Wilmington Seahawks 20 (2)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2019 IK Frej 30 (3)
2018 → Assyriska FF (loan) 1 (0)
2019–2020 Hammarby IF 0 (0)
2019 → IK Frej (loan) 15 (0)
2020 → IK Sirius (loan) 26 (0)
2021–2023 Djurgårdens IF 50 (7)
2023– Burnley 9 (1)
International career‡
2018 Sweden U19 2 (0)
2020 Sweden U21 1 (0)
2022– Sweden 6 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:56, 15 March 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:26, 16 June 2023 (UTC)

Club career

Early career

Ekdal was born in Stockholm and started to play football with IF Brommapojkarna as a youngster.[4] In 2017, he left to club to study in the United States and play college soccer for UNC Wilmington Seahawks.[5] While in the US, he played in 20 games and scored two goals as the Seahawks reached the final of the 2017 CAA Men's Soccer Tournament before losing 4–2 to William & Mary Tribe.[6]

IK Frej

In May 2018, Ekdal returned to his native country and signed a two-year deal with IK Frej in Superettan, Sweden's second tier.[7] He played 15 league games throughout the year, scoring once, as the club finished 9th in the table.[8] Ekdal also made one appearance out on loan with Assyriska FF in Division 1, the third tier.[9]

In 2019, Ekdal had a major breakthrough and established himself in the starting eleven at IK Frej.[10] He played all 30 league games in Superettan during the season, scoring twice, but was unable to save the club from relegation.[8]

Hammarby IF

On 19 July 2019, Ekdal transferred to Hammarby IF in Allsvenskan, signing a two-year deal.[11] It was also announced that he would remain eligible for affiliated club IK Frej for the rest of the season.[10] On 3 March 2020, Ekdal was sent on loan to fellow Allsvenskan club IK Sirius for the remainder of the season.[12]

Djurgårdens IF

On 4 January 2021, Ekdal joined Djurgårdens IF on a four-year contract.[13] He was named the Allsvenskan player of the month for the month of September 2021.[14]

Burnley

On 21 January 2023, Ekdal joined Championship leaders Burnley on a four-and-a-half year deal for an undisclosed fee.[15] He earned his debut appearance for the Clarets on 4 February in a 3–0 away win against Norwich City in the EFL Championship, in which he scored his first Burnley goal in the 60th minute.[16]

International career

Youth

Ekdal was called up to the Sweden under-19 national team in October 2018,[17] and featured in two friendlies against Denmark (3–1 win) and Russia (1–1 draw) the same month.[18] He was called up to the Sweden U21 team for the first time on 26 August 2020.[19]

Senior

Ekdal was called up to the Sweden national team for the first time on 1 December 2021, for two friendlies against Finland in January 2022.[20] However, the friendlies were cancelled two weeks later because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[21] Ekdal was once again called up to the national team on 18 May 2022, for Sweden's 2022–23 UEFA Nations League games against Slovenia, Norway, and Serbia in June 2022.[22]

He made his full international debut for Sweden on 9 June 2022 in the UEFA Nations League game against Serbia, playing the full 90 minutes at centre back in a 1–0 loss.[23]

Personal life

He is the son of journalist Lennart Ekdal and the brother of fellow footballer Albin Ekdal, who represents Spezia and the Swedish national football team.[2][4]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 30 August 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup[lower-alpha 1] League Cup[lower-alpha 2] Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
IF Brommapojkarna 2017[24] Superettan 0000———00
IK Frej 2018[24] Superettan 15142———193
2019[24] Superettan 302———2[lower-alpha 3]0322
Total 45342——20515
Assyriska FF (loan) 2018[24] Ettan Fotboll 10————10
Hammarby IF 2019[24] Allsvenskan 0000———00
IK Sirius (loan) 2020[24] Allsvenskan 26010———270
Djurgården IF 2021[24] Allsvenskan 26462———326
2022[24] Allsvenskan 24360—11[lower-alpha 4]1—414
Total 507122—111007310
Burnley 2022–23[24] Championship 9100———91
2023–24[24] Premier League 000010——10
Total 910010——101
Career total 13111174101112016216
  1. Includes Svenska Cupen
  2. Includes EFL Cup
  3. Appearances in Superettan promotion play-offs
  4. Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

International
As of match played 16 June 2023[25]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Sweden
2022 2 0
2023 4 0
Total 6 0

Honours

Individual

  • Colonial Athletic Association's Men's Soccer – Rookie of the Year: 2017[26][27]
  • Colonial Athletic Association's Men's Soccer – All-Rookie Team: 2017[27]
  • All-Colonial Athletic Association – First Team: 2017[27]
  • NCCSIA University Division All-State Men's Soccer – First Team: 2017[28]
  • Colonial Athletic Association Men's Soccer – Player of the Week: 28 August–3 September 2017[29]
  • Allsvenskan Player of the month: September 2021[14]
  • Allsvenskan Defender of the year: 2021[30]

References
  1. "2023/24 Premier League squad lists". Premier League. 13 September 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  2. "2017 Men's Soccer Roster: Hjalmar Ekdal". UNC Wilmington Sports. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  3. "Hjalmar Ekdal" (in Swedish). Hammarby Fotboll. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  4. "Hjalmar Ekdal vill gå i brorsans fotspår" (in Swedish). Expressen. 15 July 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  5. "Stensson och Ekdal till USA – Fors tränar med herrlaget" (in Swedish). IF Brommapojkarna. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  6. "Men's Soccer vs William & Mary (CAA Championship) on 11/12/2017 - Box Score". UNC Wilmington Athletics. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  7. "Officiellt: IK Frej Täby värvar Hjalmar Ekdal" (in Swedish). Fotbolltransfers.com. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  8. "Spelarstatistik: Hjalmar Ekdal" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
  9. "Samarbetsavtal med IK Frej" (in Swedish). Assyriska FF. 9 June 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  10. "Hjalmar Ekdal lämnar IK Frej Täby för Hammarby IF" (in Swedish). IK Frej. 19 July 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  11. "Hjalmar Ekdal klar för Hammarby" (in Swedish). Hammarby IF. 19 July 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  12. "Hjalmar Ekdal lånas ut till IK Sirius" (in Swedish). Hammarby IF. 3 March 2020. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  13. "Hjalmar Ekdal klar för DIF". Djurgården Fotboll. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  14. "Hjalmar Ekdal och Henrik Rydström är september månads vinnare i Allsvenskan". Föreningen Svensk Elitfotboll (in Swedish). 12 October 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  15. "EKDAL ARRIVES AT TURF MOOR". www.burnleyfootballclub.com. 21 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  16. "Ekdal enjoys dream debut". Burnley F.C. 4 February 2023.
  17. "Dusan Jajic och Hjalmar Ekdal uttagna till U20-landslaget" (in Swedish). IK Frej. 10 October 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  18. "Landslagsdatabasen: Hjalmar Ekdal" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  19. "U21-truppen till EM-kvalet - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  20. "Klart: Här är Sveriges trupp till januariturnén". fotbollskanalen (in Swedish). Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  21. "Januariturnén ställs in efter ökad smittspridning". www.aftonbladet.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  22. "Hjalmar Ekdal uttagen i A-landslaget". Djurgården Fotboll. 18 May 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  23. "Sverige - Serbien - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  24. "H. Ekdal". Soccerway. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  25. "Hjalmar Ekdal - Spelarstatistik - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se. (in Swedish). Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  26. "UNCW's Hjalmar Ekdal named CAA Rookie of the Year". WECT. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  27. "Hjalmar Ekdal - Men's Soccer". UNC Wilmington Athletics. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  28. "NCCSIA Announces 2017 University Division All-State Men's Soccer Teams - North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association". www.nccsia.org. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  29. "UNCW freshman named CAA player of the week". WECT. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  30. "Hjalmar Ekdal utsedd till Årets försvarare i Allsvenskan". Djurgården Fotboll. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
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