Jakob Johansson (footballer)




Jakob Johansson is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for IFK Göteborg.

Club career

IFK Göteborg

Born in Trollhättan, Johansson's first club was Trollhättans BoIS. He was brought to IFK Göteborg, together with manager Jonas Olsson, from FC Trollhättan. On 27 June 2007, he became the first player born in the 1990s to have played in the top league of Sweden, Allsvenskan when he debuted for his IFK Göteborg.

AEK Athens

On 28 December 2014, Johansson signed a 3.5-year contract with AEK Athens.
On 22 August 2015, he made his debut in Superleague Greece helping his team AEK win 3–0 against Platanias. On 22 November 2015, he scored his first season goal with a header in AEK Athens' away win against Panthrakikos. On 21 December 2015, the 15th matchday of the season, he again netted with a header giving his club the lead in 2–1 home defeat against Levadiakos. He finished the 2015–16 season with seven goals, including a header against Panathinaikos in a 3–1 victory.
Johansson started the 2016–17 season as a key player for the team in midfield.
In the late days of July 2017 AEK made a last effort to extend Johansson's contract, which is set to expire on 30 June 2018. On 20 August 2017, he scored in the opening match of the season against Panetolikos, which ended as a 2–0 home win. Johansson started the 2017–18 season as a key player for the team in midfield.
Jakob Johansson, the scorer of the goal that qualified Sweden for the World Cup, will not be part of the country's 23-man squad heading to Russia, as he failed to recover from a serious knee injury sustained in the second leg of the European playoffs against Italy in November.
After a frustrated season with AEK, the imposing midfielder missed the majority of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, but the Swedish will be leaving AEK in the off-season, eager to seek a new challenge after three years in the Greek capital. In a conversation with Swedish media outlet Aftonbladet, he released his decision: "It’s true that I’m leaving," said Johansson. "My family and I have spent 3.5 wonderful years here, but we find the opportunity of achieving something new very exciting. AEK are a big club which won the title and will play in Europe, but it would be great to play in a stronger league. Now, I’ll return to Sweden and watch the World Cup from home."

International career

Johansson made his international debut in a friendly against North Korea on 23 January 2013. He made his competitive debut in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against France on 11 November 2016. On 10 November 2017 the Swedes won against Italy 1–0 in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Second Round Play-Off first leg at the Friends Arena, and the only goal coming when Jakob Johansson drilled home from 20 yards, via a Daniele De Rossi deflection. On 13 November 2017, in the game where Sweden held on to force a goalless draw in the second leg at the San Siro to defeat the Italians 1–0 on aggregate in their Russia 2018 World Cup play-off, Johansson faced an anterior cruciate ligament injury that probably kept him out of the team for at least 6 months. He also missed 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Style of play

Johansson is a box-to-box midfielder, with his stand-out features being his physical strength, marking, accurate passing and overall significance in build-up play.

Personal life

His older brother Rickard Johansson is a former goalkeeper.

Career statistics

Club

International

International goals

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
110 November 2017Friends Arena, Solna, Sweden1–01–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Club

IFK Göteborg
AEK Athens
Rennes