Alexander Isak became the most expensive signing in Premier League history at the beginning of September when reigning champion Liverpool bought the Swede from Newcastle for just under 1.7 billion kronor.
So far, the striker has not been a gold medal winner for his new club – largely due to injuries – but it is for his efforts in Newcastle's black and white shirt that he is now receiving his first Golden Ball.
“An incredible bonus”
The Swedish Football Association and Aftonbladet are the ones who award the Golden Ball, and according to the jury, the choice was between attacking stars Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres, who received the award last year.
The choice fell on Isak.
I am very proud, a very nice and honorable award, he says in a recorded interview with Aftonbladet.
From the justification:
"A player who has gone through storms, but also lifted his club team to a title after an eternity of waiting. With unique qualities, he has written his own history in the world's toughest league."
In March, he led Newcastle to their first title in 70 years. Isak scored the decisive 2-0 goal in the League Cup final against Liverpool (2-1).
In the Premier League, he was responsible for a total of 23 goals, eleven of which were in the spring, and with that goal tally, he became second in the scoring league as the club from northern England took fifth place in the league.
Isak joined Liverpool without a solid pre-season after a conflict-filled summer with his former employer.
Tough start in Liverpool
The Swede netted for Liverpool in the League Cup in September, but his first Premier League goal in the red shirt only came at the end of November. Groin problems have largely ruined the autumn.
It's not the first time in my career that I've gone through a period like this or been in bad shape. That's how football careers work and it's something you have to fight your way out of.
Isak has had as tough a time as any other blue-and-yellow player in the national team over the past twelve months. He only scored one goal in six international matches in 2025 for Isak as Sweden finished last in their World Cup qualifying group.
After all, the World Cup playoff against Ukraine awaits in March thanks to the group victory in the Nations League last year.
Born: September 21, 1999 (age 26) in Stockholm.
Position: Forward.
Club: Liverpool.
Previous clubs: AIK (2015–2017), Borussia Dortmund (2017–2019), Willem II (loan) (2019), Real Sociedad (2019–2022), Newcastle (2022–2025).
International matches/goals: 56/16.
The Golden Ball is awarded to the year's best male player in Swedish football and has been awarded by the Swedish Football Association since 1946. In the years 1946–1965, the award was awarded in collaboration with Stockholms-Tidningen, then in collaboration with Aftonbladet.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has received the most Golden Balls, a total of twelve during the period 2005–2020.
The ten most recent award winners:
2025: Alexander Isak, Newcastle/Liverpool.
2024: Viktor Gyökeres, Sporting Lisbon.
2023: Dejan Kulusevski, Tottenham.
2022: Dejan Kulusevski, Tottenham.
2021: Emil Forsberg, Leipzig.
2020: Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Milan.
2019: Victor Nilsson Lindelof, Manchester United.
2018: Victor Nilsson Lindelof, Manchester United.
2017: Andreas Granqvist, Krasnodar.
2016: Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paris Saint-Germain/Manchester United.
2015: Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paris Saint-Germain.
