Hjalmar Ekdal
{{short description|Swedish footballer (born 1998)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Hjalmar Ekdal
| image = Hjalmar Ekdal (Sirius, 2020, cropped).jpg
| caption = Ekdal playing for Sirius in 2020
| full_name = Hjalmar Ekdal{{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/3681595 |title=2023/24 Premier League squad lists |publisher=Premier League |date=13 September 2023 |access-date=13 September 2023}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1998|10|21|df=y}}
| birth_place = Stockholm, Sweden{{cite web|url=https://uncwsports.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/hjalmar-ekdal/5738|title=2017 Men's Soccer Roster: Hjalmar Ekdal|accessdate=10 February 2020|publisher=UNC Wilmington Sports|language=English}}
| position = Centre-back
| currentclub = Groningen
(on loan from Burnley)
| clubnumber = 4
| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2017
| youthclubs1 = IF Brommapojkarna
| collegeyears1 = 2017
| college1 = UNC Wilmington Seahawks
| collegecaps1 = 20
| collegegoals1 = 2
| years1 = 2018–2019
| clubs1 = IK Frej
| caps1 = 30
| goals1 = 3
| years2 = 2018
| clubs2 = → Assyriska FF (loan)
| caps2 = 1
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2019–2020
| clubs3 = Hammarby IF
| caps3 = 0
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2019
| clubs4 = → IK Frej (loan)
| caps4 = 15
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2020
| clubs5 = → IK Sirius (loan)
| caps5 = 26
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2021–2023
| clubs6 = Djurgårdens IF
| caps6 = 50
| goals6 = 7
| years7 = 2023–
| clubs7 = Burnley
| caps7 = 17
| goals7 = 1
| years8 = 2025
| clubs8 = → Groningen (loan)
| caps8 = 14
| goals8 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2018
| nationalteam1 = Sweden U19
| nationalcaps1 = 2
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2020
| nationalteam2 = Sweden U21
| nationalcaps2 = 1
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2022–
| nationalteam3 = Sweden
| nationalcaps3 = 9
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| club-update = 14:57, 19 May 2025 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update = 13:54, 17 June 2025 (UTC)
}}
Hjalmar Ekdal ({{IPA|sv|ˈjǎlmar ˈêːkdɑːl}}; born 21 October 1998) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Eredivisie club Groningen, on loan from {{English football updater|Burnley}} club Burnley and the Sweden national team.
Beginning his professional career with IK Frej in 2018, Ekdal briefly represented Assyriska FF, Hammarby IF, and IK Sirius before signing with Djurgårdens IF in 2021.
Club career
=Early career=
Ekdal was born in Stockholm and started to play football with IF Brommapojkarna as a youngster.{{cite web|url=https://www.expressen.se/gt/sport/hjalmar-ekdal-vill-ga-i-brorsans-fotspar/|title=Hjalmar Ekdal vill gå i brorsans fotspår|accessdate=10 February 2020|date=15 July 2014|publisher=Expressen|language=Swedish}} In 2017, he left to club to study in the United States and play college soccer for UNC Wilmington Seahawks.{{cite web|url=http://ifbp.se/forening/stensson-och-ekdal-till-usa-fors-tranar-med-herrlaget/|title=Stensson och Ekdal till USA – Fors tränar med herrlaget|date=28 June 2017 |accessdate=10 February 2020|publisher=IF Brommapojkarna|language=Swedish}} 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.{{Cite web|title=Men's Soccer vs William & Mary (CAA Championship) on 11/12/2017 - Box Score|url=https://uncwsports.com/sports/mens-soccer/stats/2017/william-mary-caa-championship-/boxscore/6346|access-date=14 October 2021|website=UNC Wilmington Athletics|language=en}}
=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.{{cite web|url=https://fotbolltransfers.com/site/news/91891|title=Officiellt: IK Frej Täby värvar Hjalmar Ekdal|access-date=10 February 2020|date=9 April 2018|publisher=Fotbolltransfers.com|language=Swedish}} He played 15 league games throughout the year, scoring once, as the club finished 9th in the table.{{cite web|url=https://www2.svenskfotboll.se/superettan/information/?scr=player&fplid=6078f6de-cc92-46f5-a3a6-450727bf5912|title=Spelarstatistik: Hjalmar Ekdal|accessdate=10 February 2010|publisher=Swedish Football Association|language=Swedish}} Ekdal also made one appearance out on loan with Assyriska FF in Division 1, the third tier.{{cite web|url=http://assyriska.se/index.php?id=27&articleID=3455&page=6&filter_year=0&filter_text=|title=Samarbetsavtal med IK Frej|accessdate=10 February 2020|date=9 June 2018|publisher=Assyriska FF|language=Swedish}}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
In 2019, Ekdal had a major breakthrough and established himself in the starting eleven at IK Frej.{{cite web|url=https://www.laget.se/ikfrejherr/News/6028929/Hjalmar-Ekdal-lamnar-IK-Frej-Taby-for-Hammarby-IF|title=Hjalmar Ekdal lämnar IK Frej Täby för Hammarby IF|accessdate=10 February 2020|date=19 July 2018|publisher=IK Frej|language=Swedish|archive-date=27 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220727183036/https://www.laget.se/ikfrejherr/News/6028929/Hjalmar-Ekdal-lamnar-IK-Frej-Taby-for-Hammarby-IF|url-status=dead}} He played all 30 league games in Superettan during the season, scoring twice, but was unable to save the club from relegation.
=Hammarby IF=
On 19 July 2019, Ekdal transferred to Hammarby IF in Allsvenskan, signing a two-year deal.{{cite web|url=https://www.hammarbyfotboll.se/aktuellt/nyheter/hjalmar-ekdal-klar-for-hammarby/|title=Hjalmar Ekdal klar för Hammarby|accessdate=10 February 2020|date=19 July 2019|publisher=Hammarby IF|language=Swedish|archive-date=23 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423065554/https://www.hammarbyfotboll.se/aktuellt/nyheter/hjalmar-ekdal-klar-for-hammarby/|url-status=dead}} It was also announced that he would remain eligible for affiliated club IK Frej for the rest of the season. On 3 March 2020, Ekdal was sent on loan to fellow Allsvenskan club IK Sirius for the remainder of the season.{{cite web|url=https://www.hammarbyfotboll.se/aktuellt/nyheter/hjalmar-ekdal-lanas-ut-till-ik-sirius/|title=Hjalmar Ekdal lånas ut till IK Sirius|accessdate=3 March 2020|date=3 March 2020|publisher=Hammarby IF|language=Swedish|archive-date=23 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423051036/https://www.hammarbyfotboll.se/aktuellt/nyheter/hjalmar-ekdal-lanas-ut-till-ik-sirius/|url-status=dead}}
= Djurgårdens IF =
On 4 January 2021, Ekdal joined Djurgårdens IF on a four-year contract.{{Cite web|date=4 January 2021|title=Hjalmar Ekdal klar för DIF|url=https://dif.se/nyheter/nyhetsarkiv/2021/hjalmar-ekdal-klar-for-dif|access-date=18 October 2021|website=Djurgården Fotboll}} He was named the Allsvenskan player of the month for the month of September 2021.{{Cite web|date=12 October 2021|title=Hjalmar Ekdal och Henrik Rydström är september månads vinnare i Allsvenskan|url=https://www.svenskelitfotboll.se/hjalmar-ekdal-och-henrik-rydstrom-ar-september-manads-vinnare-i-allsvenskan/|access-date=18 October 2021|website=Föreningen Svensk Elitfotboll|language=sv-SE}}
=Burnley=
On 21 January 2023, Ekdal joined Championship leaders Burnley on a four-and-a-half-year deal for an undisclosed fee.{{cite web|url=https://www.burnleyfootballclub.com/content/ekdal-arrives-at-turf-moor|title=EKDAL ARRIVES AT TURF MOOR|website=www.burnleyfootballclub.com|date=21 January 2023|accessdate=21 January 2023}} 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.{{cite web |url=https://www.burnleyfootballclub.com/content/ekdal-enjoys-dream-debut |title=Ekdal enjoys dream debut |publisher=Burnley F.C. |date=4 February 2023 }}
On 23 January 2025, Ekdal joined Eredivisie club Groningen on loan until the end of the season.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-23 |title=Burnley: Sweden defender Hjalmar Ekdal joins Groningen on loan |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cgkjdvnm12do |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}
International career
= Youth =
Ekdal was called up to the Sweden under-19 national team in October 2018,{{cite web|url=https://www.laget.se/ikfrejherr/News/5715832/Dusan-Jajic-och-Hjalmar-Ekdal-uttagna-till-U20-landslaget|title=Dusan Jajic och Hjalmar Ekdal uttagna till U20-landslaget|accessdate=10 February 2020|date=10 October 2018|publisher=IK Frej|language=Swedish|archive-date=27 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220727183034/https://www.laget.se/ikfrejherr/News/5715832/Dusan-Jajic-och-Hjalmar-Ekdal-uttagna-till-U20-landslaget|url-status=dead}} and featured in two friendlies against Denmark (3–1 win) and Russia (1–1 draw) the same month.{{cite web|url=https://www2.svenskfotboll.se/landslag/landslagsdatabas/landslagsspelare/?fplid=6078f6de-cc92-46f5-a3a6-450727bf5912|title=Landslagsdatabasen: Hjalmar Ekdal|accessdate=10 February 2020|publisher=Swedish Football Association|language=Swedish}} He was called up to the Sweden U21 team for the first time on 26 August 2020.{{Cite web|title=U21-truppen till EM-kvalet - Svensk fotboll|url=https://www.svenskfotboll.se/nyheter/landslag/2020/8/u21-truppen-till-em-kvalet/|access-date=26 August 2020|website=www.svenskfotboll.se|date=26 August 2020 |language=sv}}
= 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.{{Cite web |title=Klart: Här är Sveriges trupp till januariturnén |url=https://www.fotbollskanalen.se/sverige/klart-har-ar-sveriges-trupp-till-januariturnen/ |access-date=23 May 2022 |website=fotbollskanalen |language=sv}} However, the friendlies were cancelled two weeks later because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web |title=Januariturnén ställs in efter ökad smittspridning |url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/a/G3nM9Q |access-date=23 May 2022 |website=www.aftonbladet.se |date=16 December 2021 |language=sv}} 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.{{Cite web |date=18 May 2022 |title=Hjalmar Ekdal uttagen i A-landslaget |url=https://dif.se/nyheter/nyhetsarkiv/2022/hjalmar-ekdal-uttagen-i-a-landslaget |access-date=23 May 2022 |website=Djurgården Fotboll}}
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.{{Cite web |title=Sverige - Serbien - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll |url=https://www.svenskfotboll.se/matchfakta/sverige-serbien-landskamper-herr-senior/5055663/ |access-date=10 June 2022 |website=www.svenskfotboll.se |language=sv |archive-date=19 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230719222851/https://www.svenskfotboll.se/matchfakta/sverige-serbien-landskamper-herr-senior/5055663/ |url-status=dead }}
Personal life
He is the son of journalist Lennart Ekdal and the brother of fellow footballer Albin Ekdal, who's played for Allsvenskan, Serie A and Bundesliga clubs and the Sweden national team.
Career statistics
= Club =
{{updated|match played 18 May 2025}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup{{efn|Includes Svenska Cupen, FA Cup}} !colspan="2"|League cup{{efn|Includes EFL Cup}} !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| IF Brommapojkarna
|2017{{cite web |title=H. Ekdal|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/hjalmar-ekdal/475251/ |access-date=23 January 2023 |website=Soccerway}} |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | ||||
| rowspan="3"|IK Frej
|2018 |Superettan |15 | 1 | 4 | 2 | colspan="2" |— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2" |— | 19 | 3 | ||||
| 2019
|Superettan |30 | 2 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 2{{efn|Appearances in Superettan promotion play-offs|name=SEP}} | 0 | 32 | 2 | ||||
| colspan="2"|Total
!45 | 3 | 4 | 2 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 2 | 0 | 51 | 5 | |||
| Assyriska FF (loan)
|1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2" |— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Hammarby IF
|2019 |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | ||||
| IK Sirius (loan)
|2020 |Allsvenskan |26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 27 | 0 | ||||
| rowspan="3"|Djurgården IF
|2021 |Allsvenskan |26 | 4 | 6 | 2 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 32 | 6 | ||||
| 2022
|Allsvenskan |24 | 3 | 6 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 11{{efn|Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League|name=UECL}} | 1 | colspan="2" |— | 41 | 4 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!50 | 7 | 12 | 2 | colspan="2"|— | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 73 | 10 | ||
| rowspan="4"|Burnley
|9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 9 | 1 | ||||
| 2023–24
|8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 9 | 0 | |||
| 2024–25
|Championship |0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 19 | 1 | |||
| Groningen (loan)
|14 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 14 | 0 | |||||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!153 | 11 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 185 | 16 |
{{notelist}}
= International =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year !National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals | ||
| rowspan="4"|Sweden
|2022 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 | 4 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 2 | 0 |
| colspan="2"|Total | 9 | 0 |
|---|
Honours
Individual
- Colonial Athletic Association's Men's Soccer – Rookie of the Year: 2017{{Cite web|title=UNCW's Hjalmar Ekdal named CAA Rookie of the Year|url=https://www.wect.com/story/36808403/uncws-hjalmar-ekdal-named-caa-rookie-of-the-year|access-date=14 October 2021|website=WECT|date=10 November 2017 |language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Hjalmar Ekdal – Men's Soccer|url=https://uncwsports.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/hjalmar-ekdal/5738|access-date=14 October 2021|website=UNC Wilmington Athletics|language=en}}
- Colonial Athletic Association's Men's Soccer – All-Rookie Team: 2017
- All-Colonial Athletic Association – First Team: 2017
- NCCSIA University Division All-State Men's Soccer – First Team: 2017{{Cite web|title=NCCSIA Announces 2017 University Division All-State Men's Soccer Teams – North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association|url=https://www.nccsia.org/general/2017-18/releases/20171129hwl8yu|access-date=14 October 2021|website=nccsia.org}}
- Colonial Athletic Association Men's Soccer – Player of the Week: 28 August–3 September 2017{{Cite web|title=UNCW freshman named CAA player of the week|url=https://www.wect.com/story/36286200/ekdal-named-caa-player-of-the-week|access-date=14 October 2021|website=WECT|date=4 September 2017 |language=en}}
- Allsvenskan Player of the month: September 2021
- Allsvenskan Defender of the year: 2021{{Cite web|date=7 December 2021|title=Hjalmar Ekdal utsedd till Årets försvarare i Allsvenskan|url=https://dif.se/nyheter/nyhetsarkiv/2021/hjalmar-ekdal-utsedd-till-arets-forsvarare-i-allsvenskan|access-date=8 December 2021|website=Djurgården Fotboll}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- {{Soccerway|hjalmar-ekdal/475251}}
- {{UEFA player}}
{{FC Groningen squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ekdal, Hjalmar}}
Category:Footballers from Stockholm
Category:Swedish men's footballers
Category:Men's association football central defenders
Category:IF Brommapojkarna players
Category:Hammarby Fotboll players
Category:IK Sirius Fotboll players
Category:Djurgårdens IF Fotboll players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Premier League players
Category:Sweden men's youth international footballers
Category:Swedish expatriate men's footballers
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England
Category:Swedish expatriate sportspeople in England
Category:Swedish expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands