Victor Lindelöf


Victor Jörgen Nilsson Lindelöf is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a defender for English club Manchester United and the Sweden national team. Mainly a centre-back, he can also play as a right-back.
Lindelöf began his career in Sweden at Västerås SK, making his debut in October 2009. In December 2011, he agreed to move to Benfica in Portugal, initially representing the club at youth and B levels. After making his first-team debut in September 2013, he continued to appear for the club at B level, while also winning three Primeira Liga titles. He joined Manchester United in July 2017.
Lindelöf has represented Sweden at under-17, under-19, under-21, and senior levels. He was a member of the under-21 side that won the 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. He made his senior international debut in March 2016 and represented his country at UEFA Euro 2016 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Club career

Early career

Lindelöf played in numerous Västerås-based clubs in his youth such as IK Franke, Västerås IK and Västerås SK.

Västerås SK

In October 2009, at the age of 15, Lindelöf made his first-team debut for Västerås SK, when the team won 3–0 against BK Forward. In the following season, he helped his team advance a step higher in the Swedish league system, as they were promoted to the second highest league. In 2011, he travelled to England to have a trial with Stoke City, but they did not make an offer for him.

Benfica

On 1 December 2011, Lindelöf agreed to join Portuguese club Benfica in the summer of 2012, and on 8 June 2015, the contract was extended until 2020. In the 2012–13 season, he played for the youth team and won the Portuguese under-19 championship. On 19 October 2013, he debuted for the first-team in a 1–0 Portuguese Cup win against CD Cinfães, playing the full match. In the 2013–14 season, he scored 2 goals in 33 matches for the reserve team. In the 2015–16 season, he returned to the first-team in a 1–0 win against Nacional in the Taça da Liga. On 16 February 2016, he played the entire match for Benfica in a 1–0 home win against Zenit Saint Petersburg in the first leg of UEFA Champions League's round of 16. Four days later, he scored his first goal for Benfica, in a 3–1 Primeira Liga victory at Paços de Ferreira. On 28 May 2017, he played in the Taça de Portugal final, which Benfica won over Vitória de Guimarães.

Manchester United

On 10 June 2017, Manchester United announced that they had agreed a deal with Benfica to sign Lindelöf for a fee of €35 million, pending the agreement of personal terms and the player passing a medical. Lindelöf passed his medical at the Trafford Training Centre on 14 June, with the Swede signing a four-year contract with the option of an extra year; Manchester United announced that the contract would begin on 1 July.
He made his official debut for the club against Real Madrid in the 2017 UEFA Super Cup; however, it was more than two months before his Premier League debut, brought on during added time against Liverpool on 14 October. Lindelöf scored his first goal for Manchester United on 29 January 2019, scoring their second goal in a 2–2 league draw at home to Burnley.
In September 2019 he signed a new contract until 2024, with the option of a further year.

International career

Lindelöf made his debut for the under-21 team on 14 October 2014, in the second leg of the qualification play-offs against France.
Although Lindelöf was not named in the final squad for the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, on 15 June 2015 he replaced defender Emil Krafth who was ruled out of the tournament after a back injury. He made his debut in the tournament in the first game against Italy. On 30 June 2015 he successfully converted Sweden's fifth and last penalty against Portugal in a 4–3 penalty shoot-out victory in the final to become European under-21 champion. He was named in the Team of the Tournament.
Lindelöf received his first call up to the senior Sweden squad in March 2016 for friendlies against Turkey and Czech Republic. He debuted for the country in a 2–1 away loss to Turkey on 24 March 2016.
He was selected in Sweden's squad for UEFA Euro 2016 in France, where he started all three of their group games, although Sweden failed to progress to the round of 16. Lindelöf was also selected in Sweden's 35-man provisional squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, but was prevented from participating in the tournament by his club Benfica, who believed that the involvement of their players in the Olympics would harm their chances for the following season.
Lindelöf scored his first international goal for Sweden in a 3–0 win over Bulgaria in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier at Friends Arena in Stockholm on 10 October 2016.
In May 2018, he was named in Sweden's 23-man squad for the FIFA World Cup in Russia. Lindelöf missed the first game against South Korea due to illness, but was a regular starter in defense alongside fellow central defender Andreas Granqvist for the remainder of the tournament. Lindelöf and Sweden were eliminated in the quarter final against England.
In March 2019, Lindelöf was called up for Sweden's UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying matches against Romania and Norway. However, he chose to withdraw from the squad, citing personal reasons, namely the birth of his first child. He was replaced by Anton Tinnerholm.

Personal life

Following his move to Manchester United in 2017, Lindelöf announced his engagement to his long-time girlfriend Maja Nilsson. They got married at the end of May 2018, in Sweden. In March 2019, their first child was born.

Career statistics

Club

International

International goals

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
110 October 2016Friends Arena, Solna, Sweden3–03–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification
220 November 2018Friends Arena, Solna, Sweden1–02–02018–19 UEFA Nations League B
35 September 2019Tórsvøllur, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands3–04–0UEFA Euro 2020 qualification

Honours

Club

Västerås SK
Benfica
Sweden