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Sweden celebrates Alexander Isak as the recipient of the 2025 Guldbollen. The Swedish Football Association and Aftonbladet presented the prestigious award to the 26-year-old striker on December 18, 2025. Isak’s exceptional performances throughout the year secured his status as Sweden’s top male footballer.
Isak’s journey began in Solna, Sweden, where he was born on September 21, 1999, to Eritrean parents. He joined AIK as a youth and debuted professionally in 2016 at age 16. He scored in a Swedish Cup match and became the youngest Allsvenskan goalscorer. Isak netted 10 league goals in 24 appearances during his time at AIK. Borussia Dortmund signed Isak in 2017 for nine million euros, marking a record for an Allsvenskan player. He contributed to their DFB-Pokal win but saw limited action. A loan to Willem II in 2019 boosted his form, as he scored 13 goals in 16 Eredivisie games, including three penalties in one match.
Real Sociedad acquired Isak in 2019. He scored on debut and tallied 33 La Liga goals over 105 appearances. Isak lifted the 2019-20 Copa del Rey as top scorer and notched the first Swedish hat-trick in La Liga since 1949. Newcastle United broke their transfer record to sign Isak in 2022. He debuted with a goal and amassed 54 Premier League goals in 86 games by mid-2025. In the 2024-25 season, Isak scored 23 goals in 34 appearances, breaking Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s Swedish record for a single Premier League campaign. He led Newcastle to the 2024-25 EFL Cup victory with a decisive final goal.
A public dispute with Newcastle over a promised transfer prompted Isak’s move to Liverpool on September 1, 2025, for 125 million pounds. The deal shattered British records. Isak debuted in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid and scored his first Liverpool goal in the EFL Cup against Southampton. In the Premier League, he added one goal in nine appearances by December.
Internationally, Isak debuted for Sweden in 2017 as the youngest goalscorer at 17. He holds 56 caps and 16 goals, including strikes in Euro 2020 qualifiers and the 2024-25 Nations League. His contributions helped Sweden maintain competitive form.
