The young talent is a product of the AIK academy, where he had been part of the youth set-up since 2005. On 28 February 2016 Isak made his debut for AIK. The forward came on as a substitute in a Swedish Cup match and scored straight away. A few months later he was selected for his side’s league match against Östersunds and scored his first league goal to secure a 2-0 win. That made him the youngest scorer in AIK’s history, at 16 years and 199 days. He signed his first professional contract shortly afterwards. From then on he scored eight league goals and three more in cup matches. His teammate Chinedu Obasi compared Isak to Zlatan Ibrahimović, a comparison that looked very close to the truth.
The young Swedish forward has an excellent physique, but that is only a small part of what he offers. Isak is very quick and has great vision, good finishing skills and the ability to play one-touch football. The area he needed to improve was his defensive work. Still, he had time on his side and a solid base to build on, and if he kept progressing he could become the next Zlatan Ibrahimović.
It was no surprise that Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool and Juventus were among the clubs reported to be interested in the player. Isak had also already made his debut for Sweden U21 at just 17, and had scored twice in six matches for Sweden U17. The next step was to see whether he could keep improving and earn a move to a bigger club.
Background and the 2016 season
Alexander Isak was born on 21 September 1999 in Stockholm and grew up in Solna, the home of AIK. He is of Eritrean descent. His first senior season was remarkably productive for a teenager: by the end of 2016 he had scored 10 league goals in 24 Allsvenskan appearances, and 13 goals in 29 matches across all competitions, including cup and European fixtures.
The move abroad
The interest from the big clubs soon turned into a transfer. On 23 January 2017 Isak signed for Borussia Dortmund on a deal running until 2022, for a fee reported at €9 million. Chances in the Dortmund first team were limited, and the breakthrough came on loan at Willem II in the second half of the 2018–19 season, where he scored 13 Eredivisie goals in 16 league appearances.
Real Sociedad signed him on a five-year deal on 12 June 2019. In San Sebastián he played 89 minutes of the 2020 Copa del Rey final, which was postponed and finally held on 3 April 2021, when Real Sociedad beat Athletic Bilbao 1-0 to lift the trophy.
Newcastle United signed Isak on 26 August 2022 for a club-record fee. On 16 March 2025 he scored in the League Cup final as Newcastle beat Liverpool 2-1, the club’s first domestic trophy since 1955. Liverpool then signed him on 1 September 2025 for a reported £125 million, a British transfer record.
The Sweden senior team
Isak made his senior debut for Sweden in January 2017 as a substitute in a 2-1 defeat to Ivory Coast. A few days later, on 12 January 2017, he scored the opening goal in a 6-0 win over Slovakia and became the youngest goalscorer in the history of the Swedish national team. He was later named in Sweden’s squad for Euro 2020.
Questions people ask
Where did Alexander Isak start his career?
Isak came through the AIK academy in Solna and made his first-team debut in a Swedish Cup match on 28 February 2016. He became AIK's youngest-ever scorer at 16 years and 199 days.
Which club signed Isak from AIK?
Borussia Dortmund signed him on 23 January 2017 for a fee reported at €9 million. He later played on loan at Willem II before joining Real Sociedad in 2019.
What trophies did Isak win after leaving Sweden?
He won the 2020 Copa del Rey with Real Sociedad, beating Athletic Bilbao 1-0 in a final played in April 2021. With Newcastle he scored in the 2025 League Cup final, a 2-1 win over Liverpool.
What record did Isak set for Sweden?
On 12 January 2017 he scored in a 6-0 win over Slovakia and became the youngest goalscorer in the history of the Swedish national team.