Amanda Ilestedt
FullnameAmanda Ilestedt[1]
Birth date17 January 1993 (age 33)
Birth placeSölvesborg, Sweden
Height1.78 m
PositionCentre-back
CurrentclubEintracht Frankfurt
Clubnumber13
Youthclubs 1Sölvesborgs GoIF
Years 12008–2009
Clubs 1Karlskrona FF
Caps 17
Goals 19
Years 22009–2017
Clubs 2FC Rosengård
Caps 2124
Goals 25
Years 32011
Clubs 3→ Vittsjö GIK (loan)
Caps 31
Goals 30
Years 42017–2019
Clubs 4Turbine Potsdam
Caps 435
Goals 42
Years 52019–2021
Clubs 5Bayern Munich
Caps 532
Goals 55
Years 62021–2023
Clubs 6Paris Saint-Germain
Caps 630
Goals 61
Years 72023–2025
Clubs 7Arsenal
Caps 715
Goals 71
Years 82025–
Clubs 8Eintracht Frankfurt
Caps 816
Goals 84
Nationalyears 12009–2010
Nationalteam 1Sweden U17
Nationalcaps 116
Nationalgoals 11
Nationalyears 22010–2012
Nationalteam 2Sweden U19
Nationalcaps 232
Nationalgoals 22
Nationalyears 32012–2014
Nationalteam 3Sweden U23
Nationalcaps 32
Nationalgoals 30
Nationalyears 42013–
Nationalteam 4Sweden
Nationalcaps 475
Nationalgoals 412
Pcupdate24 May 2026
Ntupdate8 April 2025

Amanda Ilestedt (aˈmânːda ˈîːlɛˌstɛt; born 17 January 1993) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Frauen-Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt and the Sweden national team.

Club career

Ilestedt started playing football in her birthplace with the local Sölvesborgs GIF and moved up to their first team in 2006. After one season, she signed with Karlskrona FF in 2007. In 2009 she moved to LdB FC Malmö, initially playing for the B team.[2] She broke into the Damallsvenskan side in 2010, playing ten league games and winning the championship.

In August 2011, she moved on loan to the second division club Vittsjö GIK.[3] After one season, she moved back to LdB FC Malmö, which changed their name to FC Rosengård in 2013. Rosengård reached the quarter-finals of the 2014–15 Champions League, in which she met defending champions VfL Wolfsburg. After the 1-1 draw with Wolfsburg and the 3-3 draw in the second leg, she and her team were eliminated from the competition due to the away goals rule. Ilestedt played over ninety minutes in all six games.

In June 2017, Ilestedt joined German club Turbine Potsdam on a two-year deal.[4] In May 2019, she moved to fellow German side Bayern Munich, signing a contract until June 2021.[5] She made her debut for Bayern on 17 August 2019, first matchday, in the 3-1 away win against SC Freiburg. Against SC Freiburg in the home game on 6 December 2019, she scored her first Bundesliga goal in the 81st minute. She scored four goals from 18 league matches in 2020–21 season, helping the club to win their first league title in five years.[6]

On 12 July 2021 Ilestedt joined French club Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year deal.[7] In the 2021–22 Champions League she played in five of six group games and scored one goal. On 17 June 2023 PSG announced she would leave at the end of her contract after two years in the French capital.[8]

On 27 June 2023 Arsenal announced the signing of Ilestedt.[9] She scored her first goal for Arsenal on 23 November 2023 in the Conti Cup match against Southampton, giving her team a 2-1 victory in the 92nd minute.[10]

On 29 January 2025, following the birth of her daughter, Ilestedt returned to the bench, in Arsenal's FA Cup campaign, coming on in the 79th minute, to help secure a 5–0 victory over Bristol City.[11] Ilestedt will leave Arsenal as her contract expires at the end of the 2024–25 season, having made 23 appearances for the club.[12][13]

On 1 August 2025, Ilestedt was announced at Eintracht Frankfurt on a three year contract.[14]

International career

From 2009, Ilestedt took part with the under-17 national team in qualifying for the 2010 European Championship, but lost in the second round at the under-17 national team of Ireland. In 2012 she won the European Championship with the U19 national team, of which she was captain, and thus the second title for a Swedish selection after 1999.

Ilestedt made her debut for the senior Sweden team in a 4–1 win over England in a European Championship preparation game on 4 July 2013. Coach Pia Sundhage named Ilestedt in the Sweden squad for Euro 2013.[15] In May 2015 she was nominated for the 2015 World Cup. She was used in all four games, but retired with her team in the round of 16 against the Germany national team from the tournament.[16] In 2018 she played four international matches, two of them in the Algarve Cup tournament.

On 16 May she was nominated for the 2019 World Cup.[17]  In the tournament, she was used in three of seven games. Her only ninety-minute appearance was in the group final against the United States national team, which they lost 2–0. As group runners-up, they reached the knockout stages, where she came on as a 66th-minute substitute against the German team in the quarter-finals. The Swedes won another competitive match against Germany after 24 years, thereby qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Football Tournament. Her third appearance was in the 3rd place match against the England national team, which was won 2–1 by coming on as a substitute after 72 minutes.

In the successful qualification for Euro 2022, she was used five times, scoring two goals.

She was nominated for the national team squad for the Olympic Football Tournament to be held in Japan from 21 July to 7 August 2021.[18][19] During the games, she was used in all games, making one and one substitution. In the end, the Swedes won the silver medal.

For the successful qualification for the 2023 World Cup, she was always nominated and played six times, always playing full time and scoring two goals. She was used in her team's five games at the finals of the European Championship in England, which was also postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With a 4–0 defeat against hosts England, the Swedes were eliminated in the semi-finals.

On 23 July 2023, Ilestedt was included in the 23-player squad for the 2023 World Cup.[20] Her late goal gave Sweden the win in their opening match against South Africa. It was her first goal at a World Cup.[21] On 29 July 2023 she scored 2 goals in their 2nd group stage match against Italy. She scored her 4th goal of the World Cup on 11 August 2023 in the quarter-final win against Japan. She was her country's top scorer in the tournament, and one goal behind Golden Boot winner Hinata Miyazawa.[22]

Style of play

Ilestedt is renowned for her heading technique.[23] Three of her four 2023 World Cup goals were headers.[24] In the Arsenal fan song it reads: "It's Amanda Ilestedt - Better in the air than Ryanair or Easyjet."[25]

Personal life

Oliver Ekman-Larsson of the National Hockey League (NHL) is Ilestedt's cousin. Their grandfather is ice hockey player Kenneth Ekman and their first cousins, twice removed are professional cyclists the Fåglum brothers.[26] Her great uncle is ice hockey player Sven Tumba.[27]

On 13 March 2024, Ilestedt announced her first pregnancy with her German boyfriend Rainer Müller.[28] On 30 August 2024, she gave birth to a baby girl, Mila.[29]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational Cup[a]League Cup[b]Europe[c]OtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Karlskrona FF2008Div 2 Sydöstra Götaland1100–––11
20096800–––68
Total7900–––79
Rosengård2010Damallsvenskan15010–––160
20112010–00–30
201218220–20–222
201320020–40–260
201420151–40–292
201522010–60–290
201616220–41–223
201711030–60–200
Total1245171–261–1677
Vittsjö GIK (loan)2011Söderettan1000–––10
Turbine Potsdam2017–18Frauen-Bundesliga22230–––252
2018–1913020–––150
Total35250–––402
Bayern Munich2019–20Frauen-Bundesliga14110–20–171
2020–2118430–80–294
Total32540–100–465
Paris Saint-Germain2021–22D1 Féminine15120–91–262
2022–2315000–7010230
Total30120–16110492
Arsenal2023–24Women’s Super League121112120–173
2024–2530300000–60
Total151412120–233
Eintracht Frankfurt2025–26Frauen-Bundesliga16410–41–215
Career Total26127332215831035533
  1. ^ Includes Svenska Cupen, DFB-Pokal Frauen, Women's FA Cup
  2. ^ Includes FA Women's League Cup
  3. ^ Includes UEFA Women's Champions League

International

[30]

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Sweden201321
201440
201550
201631
201710
201840
2019111
202071
2021141
2022123
2023114
202510
Total7512
Scores and results list Sweden's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ilestedt goal.
List of international goals scored by Amanda Ilestedt
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
131 October 2013Gamla Ullevi, Gothenburg, SwedenFRO2–05–02015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
22 June 2016Stadion Miejski ŁKS, Łódź, PolandPoland1–04–0UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying
33 September 2019Daugava Stadium, Liepāja, LatviaLatvia2–14–1UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying
417 September 2020Gamla Ullevi, Gothenburg, SwedenHungary6–08–0
530 November 2021Stadion, Malmö, SwedenSlovakia3–03–02023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
620 February 2022Estádio Algarve, Algarve, PortugalPortugal2–04–02022 Algarve Cup
77 April 2022Tengiz Burjanadze Stadium, Gori, GeorgiaGeorgia6–015–02023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
811 October 2022Gamla Ullevi, Gothenburg, SwedenFrance2–03–0Friendly
923 July 2023Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, New ZealandSouth Africa2–12–12023 FIFA Women's World Cup
1029 July 2023Italy1–05–0
114–0
1211 August 2023Eden Park, Auckland, New ZealandJapan1–02–1

Honours

LdB FC Malmö / Rosengård
FC Bayern Munich
Paris Saint-Germain

Arsenal

Sweden U19
Sweden
Individual

References

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  2. ^ "Hör Amanda Ilestedt" (in Swedish). Fotbolliblekinge.se. 27 July 2009. Archived from the original on 4 July 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  3. ^ "Vittsjö GIK defilerar mot seriesegern | Damfotboll.com". 2012-06-07. Archived 2012-06-07 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
  4. ^ "1.FFC Turbine Potsdam verpflichtet schwedische Nationalspielerin Amanda Ilestedt". 2 June 2017. Archived 28 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  5. ^ "FC Bayern Frauen verpflichten Amanda Ilestedt". 2 May 2019. Archived 28 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Bayern Munich dethrone Wolfsburg to become champions for first time since 2016". Deutsche Welle. 7 June 2021. Archived 28 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Transferts : la défenseuse centrale suédoise Amanda Ilestedt signe au PSG". 12 July 2021. Archived 28 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  8. ^ "Amanda Ilestedt to leave PSG after two years". 17 June 2023. Archived 27 June 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  9. ^ "Amanda Ilestedt joins the club". Arsenal F.C. 27 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  10. ^ "Amanda Ilestedt Nets Stoppage-time Winner For Arsenal Over Southampton In Women's League Cup". www.eurosport.com. Archived 23 March 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
  11. ^ "Report: Arsenal 5-0 Bristol City Women". Report: Arsenal 5-0 Bristol City Women. 2025-01-29. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
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  14. ^ "Eintracht Frankfurt verpflichtet Amanda Ilestedt" [Eintracht Frankfurt signs Amanda Ilestedt] (in German). frauen.eintracht.de
  15. ^ "Sjögran och Hjohlman i Sundhages EM-trupp" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. 25 June 2013. Archived 28 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
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  25. ^ "Songbook". arsenalwomensc.co.uk. Archived 7 November 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
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  29. ^ "Welcome to the world, our wonderful little princess Mila!". www.instagram.com. 2024-09-20. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
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