Isak: winning Swedish Golden Ball is definitely a recognition for me

On December 18, Aftonbladet—the Swedish newspaper that organizes the Golden Ball award—announced that Isak had won the 2025 Swedish Golden Ball. He subsequently gave an exclusive interview to the publication. In the first part of the interview, he discussed his feelings about winning the Swedish Golden Ball and the reasons behind his decision to join Liverpool last summer.

Q:

When was the last time you sat down for a major interview like this?

Isak:

It’s been a while—I’m not even sure how big this interview is going to be.

Q:

It’s very big. But when was the last time you had an extended conversation like this?

Isak:

Hmm… probably when I signed with Liverpool.

Q:

But that was with the club. When was the last time you spoke at length with a journalist?

Isak:

I think there might have been one... Ah, maybe I needed a Golden Ball to make this interview happen.

Q:

Fair enough. Anyway, Isak—congratulations on winning the Swedish Golden Ball!

Isak:

Thank you very much.

Q:

What does this mean to you?

Isak:

It means a lot. It’s probably not something you specifically chase after when becoming a professional footballer, but it’s definitely a huge recognition in your career.

Q:

Who was the first person you called after hearing the news?

Isak:

My family—but not exactly in the usual order. First, I called my siblings, then my parents, and after that, my friends.

Q:

Did they say “Congratulations!” or “About time!”?

Isak:

Their reactions varied... but mostly congratulations and pride, of course.

Q:

It’s a bit odd, in a way—because in some sense, your performance in 2024 was even stronger than your form in autumn 2025. Do you personally feel you should have won the Swedish Golden Ball back in 2024?

Isak:

That’s hard to say. Everyone has their own perspective, obviously... People tend to put themselves on a pedestal sometimes—it’s quite natural. I might have felt that I deserved it in a certain year myself, but timing matters too. It’s not just about how well you played that year, but also how others performed.

Q:

Throughout your career, you’ve gone through some incredible spells—periods when everything just clicked, scoring in five, six, or even seven matches in a row. You had stretches like that at Real Sociedad, and again last winter with Newcastle (scoring in eight consecutive Premier League matches). What does that kind of run feel like?

Isak:

It’s fantastic—that’s exactly it. Especially as a striker, it’s a stark contrast: when things are going well, they really go well. But honestly, during those phases, I wasn’t doing anything particularly different or thinking differently. It just flowed naturally.

Q:

People often talk about a “flow state” in creative work—when you’re so immersed that you don’t even need to think. But from what you’re saying, those hot streaks don’t actually feel all that different from times when you go three or four games without scoring?

Isak:

I try to keep that mindset. Not getting too high or too low. Of course, scoring in every game is more fun, but I believe staying as neutral as possible is the wisest and best approach.

Q:

Last winter, there were rumors linking you with bigger clubs, but when Liverpool came calling, it seemed like you felt it was the obvious choice. Was that the case?

Isak:

Yes, it was definitely the most appealing option for me. Very early on, I felt this was where I wanted to go.

Q:

What drew you to Liverpool?

Isak:

The overall impression—the club’s history, its current situation, and the next step it’s about to take.