Amanda Ilestedt (; 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
Early career Ilestedt started playing football in her hometwon with Sölvesborgs GIF and moved up to their first team in 2006. After one season, she signed with Karlskrona FF in 2007.
FC Rosengård In 2009 she moved to LdB FC Malmö (now known as FC Rosengård) in the Damallsvenskan, initially playing for the B team. She broke into the first team in 2010, playing ten league games and winning the Damallsvenskan league title.
In August 2011, was loaned to the second division club Vittsjö GIK for the 2011–12 season.
Rosengård reached the quarter-finals of the 2014–15 Champions League, in which they were elimated by defending champions VfL Wolfsburg due to the away goals rule.
Turbine Potsdam In June 2017, Ilestedt joined Frauen-Bundesliga club Turbine Potsdam on a two-year deal.
Bayern Munich In May 2019, she moved to fellow German side Bayern Munich, signing a contract until June 2021. She made her debut for Bayern on 17 August 2019 in a 3-1 away win against SC Freiburg.
On 6 December 2019, also against Freiburg, she scored her first goal for Bayern. She scored four goals from 18 league matches in 2020–21 season, helping the club to win their first league title in five years.
Paris Saint-Germain On 12 July 2021 Ilestedt joined Première Ligue club Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year deal. On 17 June 2023 PSG announced she would leave at the end of her contract.
Arsenal On 27 June 2023, Ilestedt signed with Women's Super League club Arsenal. She scored her first goal for Arsenal on 23 November 2023 in a Conti Cup match against Southampton, a 92nd minute winner for Arsenal.
In March 2024, Ilestedt announced that she was expecting her first child. Her daughter was born in August 2024 and Ilestedt returned to training with the team in December.
On 29 January 2025, Ilestedt returned to the team, coming on in the 79th minute to help secure a 5–0 victory over Bristol City in Arsenal's FA Cup campaign. She also made appearances with Arsenal's under-21 team to increase her game time. In May, it was announced that Ilestedt would leave Arsenal at the expiration of her contract that season. With Arsenal, she won the Women's Champions League.
Eintracht Frankfurt On 1 August 2025, Ilestedt returned to the Frauen-Bundesliga, signing with Eintracht Frankfurt on a three year contract. She made her debut and scored her first goal for the club on 5 September 2025.
International career
Youth Ilestedt was called up to the under-17 national team in 2009, during qualification for the 2010 Under-17 European Championship. Sweden were eliminated in the second qualification round following defeat to the Republic of Ireland.
In 2012 she won the Under-19 European Championship with the U19 national team, of which she was captain.
Senior Ilestedt made her senior debut for Sweden in a 4–1 win over England in a European Championship preparation game on 4 July 2013. Coach Pia Sundhage named Ilestedt to the Sweden squad for Euro 2013.
In May 2015, she was selected for Sweden's team ahead of the 2015 World Cup. She was used in all four games, but the team was eliminated in the round of 16 against by Germany.
On 16 May, she was called up for the 2019 World Cup. Sweden finished as group runners-up to eventual champions USA and, in the quarter-finals, beat Germany for the first time in 24 years, qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Football Tournament. She was used as a 72nd minute substitute in the third place match against England, which Sweden won 2–1.
She was called up to national team squad for the 2020 Olympics (held in 2021 due to COVID-19 postponement). During the tournament, in which Sweden won the silver medal, she was used in all games.
Ilestedt was named in Sweden's squad for the 2022 European Championship in England, which was also postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following a 4–0 defeat to hosts (and eventual champions) 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. Her late goal gave Sweden the win in their opening match against South Africa; it was her first goal at a senior World Cup. On 29 July 2023, she scored two goals (known as a 'brace') in Sweden's 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. Following defeat to eventual champions Spain, Sweden beat co-hosts Australia to secure third-place at the tournament. Ilestedt was her country's top scorer in the tournament, just one goal behind Golden Boot winner Hinata Miyazawa. She received the tournament's Bronze Ball, an honour given to the tournament's third-best player, and was also nominated for the 2023 Ballon d'Or Fémenin.
Following the birth of her daughter in August 2024, Ilestedt received her first call-up in over a year in March 2025, ahead of Sweden's Nations League matches against Italy and Wales.
Ilestedt was again called up to the national team for the 2025 European Championship. Sweden were eliminated in the quarter-finals on penalties, once more to England (who would again win the tournament); Ilestedt was an unused substitute.
Style of play Ilestedt is renowned for her heading technique. Three of her four 2023 World Cup goals were headers. Her Arsenal fan chant included the line: "It's Amanda Ilestedt - Better in the air than Ryanair or Easyjet."
Personal life Oliver Ekman-Larsson of the National Hockey League is Ilestedt's cousin. Their grandfather is ice hockey player Kenneth Ekman and their first cousins, twice removed are cyclists, the Fåglum brothers.Kenneth Ekman . Swedish Olympic Committee Her great uncle is ice hockey player Sven Tumba.
On 13 March 2024, Ilestedt announced her first pregnancy with her partner Rainer Müller. On 30 August 2024, she gave birth to a baby girl.
Career statistics Club
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupEuropeOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsKarlskrona FF2008Div 2 Sydöstra Götaland1100–––1120096800–––68Total7900–––79Rosengård2010Damallsvenskan15010–––16020112010–00–30201218220–20–222201320020–40–260201420151–40–292201522010–60–290201616220–41–223201711030–60–200Total1245171–261–1677Vittsjö GIK (loan)2011Söderettan1000–––10Turbine Potsdam2017–18Frauen-Bundesliga22230–––2522018–1913020–––150Total35250–––402Bayern Munich2019–20Frauen-Bundesliga141 10 –20–1712020–21184 30 –80–294Total32540–100–465Paris Saint-Germain2021–22D1 Féminine15120– 91–2622022–2315021–7010251Total30141–16110513Arsenal2023–24Women's Super League 121112120–1732024–2530300000–60Total151412120–233 Eintracht Frankfurt 2025–26 Frauen-Bundesliga16400 –51–215 2026–27 Frauen-Bundesliga5011 –40–101Total21411–91–316Career Total10
International
+ Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsSweden2013212014402015502016312017102018402019111202071202114120221232023114202550202630Total7512
Scores and results list Sweden's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ilestedt goal.
+ List of international goals scored by Amanda IlestedtNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition131 October 2013Gamla Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden2–05–02015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification22 June 2016Stadion Miejski ŁKS, Łódź, Poland1–04–0UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying33 September 2019Daugava Stadium, Liepāja, Latvia 2–14–1UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying417 September 2020 Gamla Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden6–08–0530 November 2021Stadion, Malmö, Sweden 3–03–02023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification620 February 2022Estádio Algarve, Algarve, Portugal 2–04–02022 Algarve Cup77 April 2022Tengiz Burjanadze Stadium, Gori, Georgia6–015–02023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification811 October 2022Gamla Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden 2–03–0Friendly923 July 2023Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand2–1 2–1 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup1029 July 2023 1–0 5–0114–01211 August 2023Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand1–0 2–1
Honours LdB FC Malmö / Rosengård Damallsvenskan: 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014 Svenska Supercupen: 2011, 2012, 2015 FC Bayern Munich Frauen-Bundesliga: 2020–21 Paris Saint-Germain Coupe de France féminine: 2021–22
Arsenal UEFA Women's Champions League: 2024–25
Sweden U19 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship: 2012
Sweden Summer Olympic Games Silver Medal: 2016 FIFA Women's World Cup third place: 2019, 2023 Algarve Cup: 2018
Individual
FIFA Women's World Cup Bronze Ball: 2023 IFFHS Women's World Team of the Year: 2023
References
External links