Alexander Isak

Alexander Isak
Isak during an AIK training session in 2016
Personal information
Date of birth (1999-09-21) 21 September 1999
Place of birth Solna, Stockholm, Sweden
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Playing position Forward
Club information
Current team
 Borussia Dortmund
Number 14
Youth career
2005–2016 AIK
2017 Borussia Dortmund
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2017 AIK 24 (10)
2017– Borussia Dortmund II 6 (2)
2017– Borussia Dortmund 5 (0)
National team‡
2015–2016 Sweden U17 19 (6)
2016–2017 Sweden U19 6 (2)
2016– Sweden U21 5 (0)
2017– Sweden 2 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 25 September 2018
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 27 March 2018

Alexander Isak (Swedish pronunciation: [alɛkˈsanːdɛr ˈiːsak]; born 21 September 1999) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays for Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund as a forward.[1]

Career

Early life

Isak was born and raised in Solna, in the Stockholm metropolitan area, to parents from Eritrea.[2] He started playing with the youth team of the local club, AIK, at age six.[3]

Breakthrough at AIK

Isak made his first team debut on 28 February 2016, appearing as a substitute in the 75th minute of the Swedish Cup away match against fourth tier side Tenhults IF. At age 16, Isak scored a goal in the 6–0 victory.[4]

On 7 April 2016, AIK head coach Andreas Alm included Isak in the starting lineup on matchday 2 of the Allsvenskan in an away fixture against Östersunds FK, alongside fellow young striker Carlos Strandberg. He secured the victory for his side, scoring the second goal in a 2–0 win, thus becoming the youngest scorer in AIK Allsvenskan history at the age of 16 years and 199 days.[5]

On 25 April, Isak scored his first goal at AIK's home ground, Friends Arena, opening the score in a 2–1 victory against IF Elfsborg.[6]

On 3 May 2016, Isak signed his first professional contract through the end of the 2018 season, having impressed in his first few games, and establishing himself as a first team regular.[4] Between matchdays 8 and 9, head coach Alm was sacked, but Isak was confirmed in the lineup by new manager Rikard Norling.[7]

On 21 September 2016, Isak's 17th birthday, he scored two critical goals in AIK's 3–0 derby win over arch-rivals Djurgårdens IF. He was later described by teammate Chinedu Obasi as "Sweden's new Zlatan Ibrahimović".[8]

Borussia Dortmund

On 23 January 2017, Isak signed for Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund on a long-term contract, lasting until the summer of 2022.[9] The transfer fee was undisclosed, but reports suggested that it was set at €9 million, which would be the highest transfer sum ever paid for an Allsvenskan player.[10] Before signing with Dortmund, Isak reportedly turned down a move to Real Madrid.[11]

Isak made his first appearance for the club in a 3–0 cup win over Sportfreunde Lotte on 14 March 2017.[12] Isak won his first medal with the club when Dortmund won the 2016–17 DFB-Pokal.

International career

Isak was called up to the Sweden national team for the friendly matches against Ivory Coast on 8 January 2017 and Slovakia on 12 January. He made his debut against the Ivory Coast, coming on for Per Frick in the 62nd minute of a 1–2 loss. He started the second game against Slovakia, scoring the first goal in a 6–0 win in the 19th minute, becoming the youngest goalscorer ever in the history of the Sweden national team.[13]

Career statistics

Club

As of 25 September 2018[14][15]
Club Season League Cup[lower-alpha 1] Europe Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
AIK 2016 Allsvenskan 2410233[lower-alpha 2]02913
Borussia Dortmund II 2016–17 Regionalliga West 10—10
2018–19 5252
Total62—62
Borussia Dortmund 2016–17 Bundesliga 00100010
2017–18 50314[lower-alpha 3]0121
Total504140131
Career total351264704816

Notes

  1. ↑ Includes Svenska Cupen and DFB-Pokal
  2. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  3. ↑ One appearance in UEFA Champions League, three appearances in UEFA Europa League

International

As of 12 January 2017[16]
Sweden
YearAppsGoals
201721
Total21

International goals

As of 12 January 2017[16]
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
112 January 2017Armed Forces Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Slovakia1–06–0Friendly

Honours

Club

Borussia Dortmund

Individual

Allsvenskan newcomer of the year: 2016[17]

Records

Youngest goalscorer of the Sweden national football team: 17 years, 3 months and 22 days – (one goal in a 6–0 win against Slovakia on 12 January 2017)[13]

References

  1. ↑ "Alexander Isak". 14 February 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  2. ↑ ""Jag blir alltid jämförd med Goitom"" (in Swedish). 2 April 2016. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
  3. ↑ "Supertalangen: "Att få dra på sig AIK-tröjan är drömmen"" (in Swedish). 24 November 2015. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Talangen förlänger tre år med AIK" (in Swedish). 3 May 2016. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
  5. ↑ "Skrev AIK-historia – yngst någonsin" (in Swedish). 7 April 2016. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
  6. ↑ "TV: Supertalangens mål framför PL-scouterna" (in Swedish). 25 April 2016. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
  7. ↑ "AIK-succén direkt i Norlings återkomst" (in Swedish). 16 May 2016. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
  8. ↑ "Alexander Isak hyllas: "Kan bli nya Zlatan..."" (in Swedish). 22 September 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  9. ↑ "Borussia Dortmund sign striker Alexander Isak". 23 January 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  10. ↑ "Officiellt: Alexander Isak klar för Borussia Dortmund" (in Swedish). 23 January 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  11. ↑ "Bomben: Isak nobbar Real – här är hans val" (in Swedish). 21 January 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  12. ↑ int.soccerway.com/players/alexander-isak/422165/
  13. 1 2 "Isak historisk i 6-0-seger mot Slovakien" (in Swedish). 12 January 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  14. ↑ "A. ISAK". Soccerway. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  15. ↑ Alexander Isak at WorldFootball.net
  16. 1 2 "Alexander Isak - national football team player". EU-Football.info. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  17. ↑ "Isak stolt över priset som årets nykomling" (in Swedish). 17 November 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
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