Erik Israelsson

Erik Israelsson

Personal information
Full name	Erik Gustav Roger Israelsson
Date of birth	(1989-02-25) 25 February 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth	Kalmar, Sweden
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
	Lindsdals IF
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2008–2013	Kalmar FF	89	(13)
2014–2017	Hammarby IF	76	(20)
2017–2019	PEC Zwolle	17	(1)
2018–2019	→ Vålerenga (loan)	15	(0)
2019–2020	Vålerenga	1	(0)
2020–2022	Kalmar	35	(4)
Total		233	(38)
International career
2006	Sweden U17	4	(0)
2008	Sweden U19	4	(0)
2008	Sweden U21	1	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Erik Gustav Roger Israelsson (born 25 February 1989) is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Starting off his career with Kalmar FF in 2008, he went on to represent Hammarby IF, PEC Zwolle, and Vålerenga before retiring at Kalmar FF in 2022.

Club career

Early career and Kalmar

Israelsson joined Kalmar FF in 2005 from local club Lindsdals IF. He played three games during the 2008 Allsvenskan, when Kalmar were crowned champions. He became a regular at Kalmar from 2010 and onwards, playing 76 games during the following three seasons and scoring 13 times.^[1] Before the start of the 2013 Allsvenskan he incurred a fractured toe witch eventually caused him to miss half of the season.^[2]

Hammarby

On 6 December 2013, he signed for Hammarby IF.^[3] This shortly after Nanne Bergstrand, his former manager at Kalmar, had been appointed as Hammarby's new manager. During his first season at Hammarby, he helped he team to gain promotion to Allsvenskan. In 2015, he scored six goals in 22 games, being voted "player of the year" by the supporters of the club. In a local derby against AIK on 27 September 2015, he scored a late header which secured a 1–0 win for Hammarby. In the aftermath of the goal, he suffered a concussion as well as a broken foot. This goal was later voted as the "goal of the season" by the Hammarby supporters.^[4]

On 1 February 2016, he signed a new three-year deal with Hammarby, tying him to the club until 2018.^[5] In the 2016 season Israelsson was the club's top scorer, managing to strike 10 goals in the league play.

Zwolle

On 14 January 2017, it was announced that Israelsson had signed a 2.5-year deal with Dutch Eredivisie side PEC Zwolle. The transfer fee was undisclosed.^[6][7] He made his competitive debut for the side on 5 February 2017 in a game against Sparta Rotterdam. Israelsson was brought on as a substitute during the final stage of the game, scoring only minutes later whilst securing a 3–2 win for Zwolle.^[8]

Vålerenga

Israelsson first joined Vålerenga on loan in 2018, and then signed permanently until 2020.^[9][10]

Return to Kalmar and retirement

Israelsson announced his return to Kalmar FF ahead of the 2020 Allsvenskan season.^[10] He announced his retirement from professional football on 23 September 2022 after battling multiple injuries during his second stint at Kalmar FF.^[11][12]

International career

Israelsson represented the Sweden U17, U19, and U21 teams between 2006 and 2008, winning a total of 9 youth caps.^[13]

Honours

Kalmar

• Allsvenskan: 2008
• Supercupen: 2009

Hammarby

• Superettan: 2014

References

1. "Erik Israelsson". Svenska Fotbollförbundet. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
2. "Våren förstörd för Israelsson". Barometern. 24 March 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
3. "Israelsson klar för Hammarby". Fotbollskanalen. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
4. "Efter den otäcka knocken - nu hyllas han av Bajen". Fotbolldirekt Fotboll. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
5. "Israelsson förlänger med Hammarby". Fotbollskanalen. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
6. "PEC Zwolle versterkt zich met Erik Israelsson". PEC Zwolle. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
7. "Erik Israelsson lämnar Hammarby". Hammarby Fotboll. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
8. "PEC Zwolle pakt drie punten op Het Kasteel". PEC Zwolle. Archived from the original on 6 February 2017. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
9. Hallberg, Jesper (31 July 2018). "Klart: Israelsson lämnar Holland för norska Vålerenga". Barometern (in Swedish). Retrieved 23 September 2022.
10. "Välkommen hem, Erik Israelsson!". Kalmar FF (in Swedish). 16 March 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
11. "Studio Kalmar FF möter Erik Israelsson efter beskedet att fotbollskarriären avslutas". Kalmar FF (in Swedish). Retrieved 23 September 2022.
12. "Avslutar karriären efter skadeproblemen". www.aftonbladet.se (in Swedish). 23 September 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
13. "Erik Israelsson - Spelarstatistik - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se. (in Swedish). Retrieved 23 September 2022.

External links

• Erik Israelsson at WorldFootball.net
• Erik Israelsson at the Swedish Football Association (in Swedish)