team, ending with their ultimate descent into the 2. Bundesliga in 2018. He scored once for the team from Hamburg, the only goal of a home win against Hertha BSC on 5 March 2017. On 21 January 2017, Ekdal received the first red card of his career, after 33 minutes of a 1–0 loss at VfL Wolfsburg. Sampdoria On 14 August 2018, following Hamburg's relegation from the Bundesliga, Ekdal returned to Serie A by signing for Sampdoria. Spezia On 13 July 2022, Ekdal signed a two-year contract with Spezia. International career Ekdal made his debut for Sweden on 10 August 2011 in a friendly game away to Ukraine in Kharkiv. He came on as a 60th-minute substitute for Sebastian Larsson in a 1–0 win. Ekdal was named in Sweden's 23-man squad for UEFA Euro 2016 in France, despite a deep cut in his back from celebrating Hamburg's recent Bundesliga survival putting his involvement at risk. He played each match as the Swedes came bottom of their group. In June 2018 Ekdal was named in Sweden's 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He played all five games of a run to the quarter-finals. Ekdal was included in Sweden's 26-man squad for UEFA Euro 2020. Personal life Ekdal grew up in Höglandet, an affluent suburb west of Stockholm. He is the son of Lennart Ekdal, an award-winning Swedish journalist, TV personality and newscaster known for his work for the newspaper Dagens Nyheter and the financial magazine Veckans Affärer, as well as hosting TV shows such as Kalla fakta, Halvtid för Reinfeldt (with Fredrik Reinfeldt), Kvällsöppet med Ekdal & Hakelius and Hetluft. Ekdal's younger brother, Hjalmar Ekdal, is also a professional footballer who plays for Burnley FC. Career statistics Club International Appearances and goals by national team and year Honours Individual Swedish Midfielder of the Year: 2013, 2014, 2015 Stor Grabb: 2016 References External links (archive) Goal.com profile 1989 births Living people Association football midfielders Swedish footballers Swedish expatriate footballers Sweden international footballers Sweden youth international footballers Sweden under-21 international footballers IF Brommapojkarna players Allsvenskan players Juventus F.C. players A.C.N. Siena 1904 players Bologna F.C. 1909 players Cagliari Calcio players Hamburger SV players U.C. Sampdoria players Spezia Calcio players Serie A players Bundesliga players UEFA Euro 2016 players 2018 FIFA World Cup players UEFA Euro 2020 players Expatriate footballers in Italy Expatriate footballers in Germany Swedish expatriate sportspeople in