Emil Forsberg Most Appearances Record

Lore & Background

Forsberg was awarded Guldbollen in 2021 as Sweden's best footballer of the year. He has also been voted the Swedish Midfielder of the Year five times (2016, 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022). A full international from 2014 to 2025, Forsberg won 92 caps and scored 21 total goals for the Sweden national team. He was a member of the Sweden squad that reached the quarter-finals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and also represented his country at UEFA Euro 2016 and 2020. He is known for his quick, effective passing style, and is a creative playmaker renowned for his ability to create chances and assists.

Reader's Guide

Forsberg started his career with GIF Sundsvall, helping them gain promotion to Allsvenskan in 2011. He moved to Malmö FF in 2013, winning two league titles. In January 2015, he joined RB Leipzig, where he became the highest assister in the Bundesliga in 2016–17 with 22 assists. He scored RB Leipzig's first ever Champions League goal in a 1–1 draw against Monaco on 13 September 2017. In the 2019–20 season, he scored a brace in stoppage time against Benfica to secure Leipzig's place in the Champions League knockout phase. On 24 February 2022, he scored a penalty to secure a 3–1 away victory over Real Sociedad, marking the 1000th goal in club history. He made his final appearance for Leipzig on 19 December 2023. Forsberg joined New York Red Bulls in 2024, scoring his first goal for the club on 9 March 2024.

Did You Know?

• Forsberg scored the winning goal for Sweden against Switzerland in the 2018 FIFA World Cup round of 16, sending Sweden to the quarter-finals for the first time in nearly 25 years.
• He is the son of former GIF Sundsvall player Leif Forsberg and grandson of Lennart Forsberg, who also played for the club.
• Forsberg married former footballer Shanga Hussain in 2016; they divorced in 2024.
• He has named Dutch winger Ryan Babel as a player he has looked up to.