Carl Marcus Christer Antonsson (born 8 May 1991) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a striker for A-League club Western Sydney Wanderers. He can also play as a forward or as a left winger.

Marcus Antonsson
Antonsson with Western Sydney Wanderers in 2023
Personal information
Full name Carl Marcus Christer Antonsson[1]
Date of birth (1991-05-08) 8 May 1991 (age 33)
Place of birth Unnaryd, Sweden
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Striker, Left winger
Team information
Current team
Western Sydney Wanderers
Number 9
Youth career
Unnaryds GoIF
2009–2010 Halmstads BK
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2014 Halmstads BK 71 (11)
2015–2016 Kalmar FF 41 (22)
2016–2018 Leeds United 16 (1)
2017–2018Blackburn Rovers (loan) 31 (7)
2018–2021 Malmö FF 49 (15)
2020Stabæk (loan) 10 (1)
2021Halmstads BK (loan) 27 (6)
2022–2023 IFK Värnamo 30 (20)
2023 Al-Adalah 15 (6)
2023– Western Sydney Wanderers 24 (5)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 May 2024

He formerly played for English sides Leeds United and Blackburn Rovers.[2]

Club career

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Halmstad

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Antonsson started his youth career at Unnaryds GoIF before joining Halmstads BK in 2009, making his Allsvenskan debut for Halmstad on 7 November 2010 against Djurgårdens IF. He played 71 league games for Halmstads BK and scored 11 goals.

Kalmar

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Antonsson pictured during his time at Kalmar FF.

Antonsson joined Kalmar FF in 2015. He scored 12 goals in 28 appearances in his first season at the club; his 12 goals saw him finish as the third top goalscorer in Allsvenskan. In February 2016, Antonsson extended his contract at Kalmar until 2018.

Antonsson scored 10 goals in his first 12 league games of the 2016–17 Swedish Allsvenskan season for Kalmar FF, making him the top scorer in the Allsvenskan at the time.

Leeds United

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On 28 June 2016, Antonsson signed a three-year contract with English side Leeds United for an undisclosed fee.[3] On 5 August, he was given the squad number 10 shirt for the 2016–17 season.[4] On 7 August 2016, he made his competitive debut for the club as a second-half substitute in place of Matt Grimes, during a 3–0 defeat to Queens Park Rangers.[5]

Antonsson scored his first goal for Leeds on 10 August in a League Cup fixture against Fleetwood Town.[6] His second goal of the season, and his first in the league, came on 20 August in a 2–0 win against Sheffield Wednesday.[7] On 26 October, he scored his third of the season for Leeds in their win against Norwich City in the English League Cup; a dramatic penalty shootout victory after a 2–2 draw in extra time.[8]

Loan to Blackburn Rovers

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On 11 August 2017, Blackburn Rovers announced the signing of Antonsson on loan for the season.[9] On 9 September, he scored his first goal for Blackburn Rovers against Rochdale in a 0–3 victory.[10] He went on to score another two goals in September.[11] He found his position changed, being played as a left-sided forward or winger and in November he scored five goals in as many games, going on to win the PFA Player of the Month award for League One.[12]

On 2 January 2018, it was revealed by manager Tony Mowbray that Antonsson had picked up an injury against Scunthorpe on 30 December, and would be ruled out for several weeks.[13] He returned from injury on 19 February against Bury. On 24 April, he gained automatic promotion to the Championship with Blackburn after their 1–0 win against Doncaster Rovers.[14]

Return to Leeds

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After returning to Leeds, Antonsson was told he was not in the plans of new manager Marcelo Bielsa and held negotiations of a transfer to Italian Serie B Side Brescia, now owned by previous Leeds owner Massimo Cellino.[15]

Malmö FF

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On 14 July 2018, Antonsson joined Allsvenskan side Malmö FF on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee from Leeds United after being signed by manager Uwe Rösler.[16] He made his debut for the Swedish club on 21 July 2018, when he came on as a substitute in Malmö's 2–1 away league win over Örebro SK. He crowned a successful autumn with the winning goal at Beşiktaş away from home, as Malmö progressed to the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League.[17]

Värnamo

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On 3 February 2022, Antonsson signed with Allsvenskan newcomer IFK Värnamo.[18]

Al-Adalah

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On 25 January 2023, Antonsson joined Saudi Arabian club Al-Adalah.[19]

Western Sydney Wanderers

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After 6 goals in 16 games for Al-Adalah, it was announced that Antonsson had signed for Australian A-League Men club Western Sydney Wanderers on a two-year contract.[20]

International career

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Uncapped by Sweden, Antonsson was linked with a possible call up to the national side for Euro 2016 due to his form with Kalmar FF; however he was not called upon and missed out on the squad.[21]

Career statistics

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As of match played 27 September 2020
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Halmstads BK 2010[22] Allsvenskan 1 0 0 0 1 0
2011[22] Allsvenskan 6 0 0 0 6 0
2012[22] Superettan 18 1 4 2 2[c] 1 24 4
2013[22] Allsvenskan 20 2 4 1 2[c] 0 26 3
2014[22] Allsvenskan 26 6 1 2 27 8
Total 71 9 9 5 4 1 84 15
Kalmar FF 2015[22] Allsvenskan 28 12 6 3 34 15
2016[22] Allsvenskan 12 10 0 0 12 10
Total 40 22 6 3 46 25
Leeds United 2016–17[23] Championship 16 1 2 0 3 2 21 3
2017–18[24] Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 16 1 2 0 3 2 21 3
Blackburn Rovers (loan) 2017–18[24] League One 31 7 2 1 1 0 34 8
Malmö FF 2018[22] Allsvenskan 15 8 1 0 12 5 28 13
2019[22] Allsvenskan 26 6 4 3 11 1 41 10
2020[22] Allsvenskan 8 1 5 2 2 0 15 3
Total 49 15 10 5 25 6 84 26
Career total 207 54 29 14 4 2 25 6 4 1 269 77
  1. ^ Includes Svenska Cupen, FA Cup
  2. ^ Includes EFL Cup
  3. ^ a b Appearances in the Allsvenskan/Superettan play-offs

Honours

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Blackburn Rovers

Malmö FF

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Retained List 2016-17" (PDF). English Football League. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  2. ^ "Marcus Antonsson". Svenskfotboll. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
  3. ^ "UNITED AGREE ANTONSSON DEAL". Leeds United. 28 June 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  4. ^ "2016/17 SQUAD NUMBERS CONFIRMED". Leeds United. 6 August 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  5. ^ "QPR CLAIM OPENING VICTORY". Leeds United. 7 August 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
  6. ^ "MATCHDAY: FLEETWOOD – LIVE!". Leeds United. 10 August 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  7. ^ "UNITED TOO STRONG FOR WEDNESDAY". Leeds United. 20 August 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  8. ^ "NORWICH CITY: PENALTIES SEE LEEDS EDGE CLASSIC". Leeds United. 26 October 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  9. ^ "Antonsson arrives at Ewood Park". Blackburn Rovers. 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  10. ^ "Rochdale 0–3 Blackburn Rovers". BBC Sport.
  11. ^ "Marcus Antonsson | Football Stats | Leeds United | Season 2017/2018 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  12. ^ a b "Leeds United: On-loan striker Marcus Antonsson letting his goals do the talking at Blackburn". www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  13. ^ "Boss discusses Antonsson injury". Blackburn Rovers. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  14. ^ "Will loanee Antonsson return and fight for a place at Leeds after Blackburn's promotion?". Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  15. ^ "Brescia target Leeds left-back Denton with Antonsson deal close". Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  16. ^ "Welcome to Malmö FF, Marcus Antonsson!". Malmö FF (in Swedish). Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  17. ^ Hansson, Jonas (13 December 2018). "TV: MFF klart för slutspel i Europa League – skrällvann borta mot Besiktas" (in Swedish). Fotbollskanalen. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  18. ^ "MARCUS ANTONSSON ÄR KLAR FÖR IFK VÄRNAMO" (Press release) (in Swedish). Värnamo. 3 February 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  19. ^ "العدالة يتعاقد مع البرتغالي يوجـينيو و السـويدي أنتونـسون".
  20. ^ Comito, Matt (30 June 2023). "Former Leeds & Blackburn striker 'very excited' to take on Wanderers 'challenge". Keep Up. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  21. ^ "Leeds United close to signing top Swedish striker Marcus Antonsson". Sky Sports. 20 June 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Marcus Antonsson at Soccerway. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  23. ^ "Games played by Marcus Antonsson in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  24. ^ a b "Games played by Marcus Antonsson in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  25. ^ Anderson, John, ed. (2018). Football Yearbook 2018–2019. London: Headline Publishing Group. pp. 54–55. ISBN 978-1-4722-6106-9.
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