Niklas Backman

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Niklas Backman

| fullname = Niklas Alexander Backman

| image = Niklas_Backman.JPG

| image_size =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1988|11|13|df=y}}

| birth_place = Västerås, Sweden

| height = {{height|meter=1.86}}

| position = Centre back

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 1993–2004

| youthclubs1 = Skiljebo SK

| years1 = 2005–2007

| clubs1 = Skiljebo SK

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 2008–2009

| clubs2 = Väsby United

| caps2 = 56

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2010–2013

| clubs3 = AIK

| caps3 = 92

| goals3 = 2

| years4 = 2014–2015

| clubs4 = Dalian Aerbin

| caps4 = 59

| goals4 = 5

| years5 = 2016–2021

| clubs5 = AGF

| caps5 = 98

| goals5 = 3

| nationalyears1 = 2009–2010

| nationalteam1 = Sweden U21

| nationalcaps1 = 5

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2011–2014

| nationalteam2 = Sweden

| nationalcaps2 = 6

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| club-update =

| nationalteam-update =

}}

Niklas Alexander Backman (born 13 November 1988) is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a centre back.

He played for Skiljebo SK, AIK, Dalian Aerbin, and AGF during a career that spanned between 2005 and 2021. A full international between 2011 and 2014, he won six caps for the Sweden national team.

Club career

Backman started playing football for local Västerås team Skiljebo SK as a youth. He played with Skiljebo SK until 2008 when he was transferred to Väsby United in the Swedish second division Superettan. He played 56 games for the club and completed the 2009 season in style at Väsby keeping them in the Superettan. During the summer of 2009, his playing rights were transferred to AIK, but he continued playing matches for Väsby. He made no appearances for AIK during their championship-winning campaign. In 2010, he played his first match for AIK.[https://svenskfotboll.se/allsvenskan/person/?playerid=5604 Niklas Backman at Svenskfotboll.se]{{Cite web|url=https://www.bt.dk/superligaen/agf-kaptajn-indstiller-karrieren-en-af-de-svaereste-beslutninger-i-mit-liv|title = AGF-kaptajn indstiller karrieren: 'En af de sværeste beslutninger i mit liv'|date = 14 October 2021}}

On 14 October 2021, 32-year old Backman announced his retirement from football, after he experienced symptoms stemming from his previous head injuries.[https://agf.dk/nyheds-artikler/2021/oktober/niklas-backman-indstiller-karrieren/ NIKLAS BACKMAN INDSTILLER KARRIEREN], agf.dk, 14 October 2021

International career

On 19 January 2011, he made his debut for Sweden in a friendly 2–1 away win over Botswana.[https://svenskfotboll.se/landslag/herrar/spelarportratt-2013/?profile=24973 Backman, Niklas] He won his sixth and final cap on 21 January 2014 in a friendly 2–0 win against Iceland, coming on a substitute for Pontus Jansson in the 83rd minute.{{Cite web|title=Island - Sverige - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll|url=https://www.svenskfotboll.se/matchfakta/island-sverige-landskamper-herr-senior/2662309/|access-date=2021-10-14|website=www.svenskfotboll.se|language=sv}}

Career statistics

= Club =

rowspan="2" \|Club ! rowspan="2" \|Season ! rowspan="2" \|Division ! colspan="2" \|League ! colspan="2" \|Cup ! colspan="2" \|Europe ! colspan="2" \|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="3" valign="center" \|Väsby United \|2008 \| valign="center" \|Superettan \|30	0	colspan="2" \|—	colspan="2" \|—	30	0
2009 \|Superettan \|26	0	colspan="2" \|—	colspan="2" \|—	26	0
colspan="2" \|Total !56 !0 !0 !0 !0 !0 !56 !0
rowspan="5" valign="center" \|AIK \|2010 \| valign="center" \|Allsvenskan \|24	0	3	0	4	0	31	0
2011 \|Allsvenskan \|30	1	1	0	colspan="2" \|—	31	1
2012 \|Allsvenskan \|28	1	2	0	8	0	38	1
2013 \|Allsvenskan \|10	0	1	0	colspan="2" \|—	11	0
colspan="2" \|Total !92 !2 !7 !0 !12 !0 !111 !2
rowspan="3" \|Dalian Aerbin \|2014	rowspan="1" \|Chinese Super League	29	2	0	0	colspan="2"
\|29	2
2015	rowspan="1" \|China League One	30	3	1	0	colspan="2"
\|31	3
colspan="2" \|Total !59 !5 !1 !0 !0 !0 !60 !5
rowspan="2" \|AGF \|2015–16	rowspan="1" \|Danish Superliga	14	1	4	0	colspan="2"
\|18	1
2016–17 \| rowspan="1" \|Danish Superliga	0	0	0	0	colspan="2"
\|0	0
colspan="3" \|Career Total !207	7	8	0	12	0	227	7

= International =

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+Appearances and goals by national team and year{{Cite web\|title=Niklas Backman - Spelarstatistik - Svensk fotboll\|url=https://www.svenskfotboll.se/spelarfakta/niklas-backman/d4adfa07-eb43-49f5-829a-3abbc194b36e/\|access-date=2021-10-14\|website=www.svenskfotboll.se.\|language=sv}} !National team !Year !Apps !Goals
rowspan="5" \|Sweden \|2011 \|2 \|0
2012 \|1 \|0
2013 \|1 \|0
2014 \|2 \|0
Total !6 !0

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+Appearances and goals by national team and year{{Cite web|title=Niklas Backman - Spelarstatistik - Svensk fotboll|url=https://www.svenskfotboll.se/spelarfakta/niklas-backman/d4adfa07-eb43-49f5-829a-3abbc194b36e/|access-date=2021-10-14|website=www.svenskfotboll.se.|language=sv}}

!National team

!Year

!Apps

!Goals

rowspan="5" |Sweden

|2011

2012

2013

2014

Total