Ralf Edström

Widely regarded as Sweden's best player in the 1970s, he started off his career with Degerfors IF in the late 1960s and went on to represent Åtvidabergs FF, PSV Eindhoven, IFK Göteborg, Standard Liege, and AS Monaco before retiring at Örgryte IS in 1985. A full international between 1972 and 1980, he won 40 caps for the Sweden national team and scored 15 goals. He represented his country at the 1974 and 1978 FIFA World Cups and was awarded Guldbollen as Sweden's best player in 1972 and 1974.

Ralf Edström

Ralf Edström in 1973
Personal information
Full name	Ralf Sigvard Edström
Date of birth	(1952-10-07) 7 October 1952 (age 71)
Place of birth	Degerfors, Sweden
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
0000–1971	Degerfors IF
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1968–1970	Degerfors IF
1971–1973	Åtvidabergs FF	52	(28)
1973–1977	PSV Eindhoven	153	(81)
1977–1979	IFK Göteborg	37	(14)
1979–1981	Standard Liège	51	(27)
1981–1983	AS Monaco	49	(16)
1983–1985	Örgryte IS	0	(0)
Total		301	(140)
International career
1969–1971	Sweden U19	14	(9)
1971–1972	Sweden U21	7	(4)
1972–1980	Sweden	40	(15)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Starting his career in Degerfors IF, a club known to produce many young talents, Edström moved to Åtvidabergs FF and became national champion in 1972. He moved to PSV Eindhoven in 1973 and was part of the team that became national champion in 1974/75 and 1975/76. On club level, he became not only Swedish Champion, but also Dutch (twice) and French Champion. He also won the Swedish, Dutch and Belgian Cups and was voted Swedish player of the year twice (1972 and 1974, winning Guldbollen). He injured his knee while at AS Monaco which prevented him from playing any games for Örgryte IS and ultimately led to his retirement from professional football in 1985.

Edström made 40 appearances for the Swedish national team and scored 15 times. He is most noted for his performance in the 1974 FIFA World Cup where he had a big part in Sweden finishing fifth, and he made six appearances and scored four goals during this tournament.

While representing Sweden at the 1978 FIFA World Cup in Argentina, Edström was arrested for speaking to a person in Buenos Aires; however, the Argentine military released him upon recognising its error (that he was not one of its citizens but a professional footballer who was in the country for the tournament it was hosting).

He has been an expert radio commentator since the 1980s.

Club

International

Scores and results list Sweden's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Edström goal.

List of international goals scored by Ralf Edström

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition	Ref.
1	6 August 1972	Råsunda Stadium, Solna, Sweden	Soviet Union	1–0	4–4	Friendly
2				2–3
3				4–4
4	17 September 1972	Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway	Norway	1–0	3–1	1972–77 Nordic Football Championship
5				3–1
6	15 October 1972	Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden	Malta	1–0	7–0	1974 FIFA World Cup qualifier
7				3–0
8				7–0
9	13 June 1973	Nepstadion, Budapest, Hungary	Hungary	3–3	3–3	1974 FIFA World Cup qualifier
10	23 June 1974	Rheinstadion, Düsseldorf, Germany	Uruguay	1–0	3–0	1974 FIFA World Cup
11				3–0
12	30 June 1974	Rheinstadion, Düsseldorf, Germany	West Germany	1–0	2–4	1974 FIFA World Cup
13	3 July 1974	Rheinstadion, Düsseldorf, Germany	Yugoslavia	1–1	1–1	1974 FIFA World Cup
14	19 May 1975	Örjans Vall, Halmstad, Sweden	Algeria	1–0	4–0	Friendly
15	4 June 1975	Råsunda Stadium, Solna, Sweden	Yugoslavia	1–0	1–2	UEFA Euro 1976 qualifier

Åtvidabergs FF

• Allsvenskan: 1972
• Svenska Cupen: 1970–71

PSV Eindhoven

• Eredivisie: 1974–75, 1975–76
• KNVB Cup: 1973–74, 1975–76

IFK Göteborg

• Svenska Cupen: 1978–79

Standard Liege

• Belgian Cup: 1981

AS Monaco

• French Division 1: 1981–82

Individual

• Allsvenskan top scorer: 1972
• Guldbollen: 1972, 1974
• World Soccer World XI: 1975
• Swedish Football Hall of Fame: 2003