Sven Rydell


Sven Åke Albert Rydell was a Swedish footballer who played as a forward. He was the all-time leading scorer for the Swedish national team until 4 September 2014, when Zlatan Ibrahimović overtook him by scoring his 50th international goal. However, he holds the record of scoring nine hat-tricks for Sweden.

Football career

Rydell played in the 1920s and 30s, and scored 49 goals in only 43 matches for the Swedish national team. His 49 goals stood as the national record for over 80 years. Because his career spanned the nascent years of international football, he never got a chance to play in the World Cup; his only appearance at the world stage came in the 1924 Summer Olympics, at which Sweden won a bronze medal. At club level, Rydell played for Örgryte IS, Redbergslids IK, and Holmens IS.
Rydell won the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal in 1931.

Personal life

Rydell's daughter Eva represented Sweden as a gymnast in the 1960 and 1964 Olympics. Sven died on 4 April 1975. He is buried at Östra kyrkogården in Gothenburg.

Career statistics

International goals