With a faltering voice
Bayern player announces decision and becomes emotional
Updated 11/17/2025 – 11:00 amReading time: 2 minutes
Magdalena Eriksson makes a difficult decision regarding her career in the Swedish national team, which has far-reaching consequences. She becomes emotional at the announcement.
Magdalena Eriksson has ended her career in the Swedish national team and will now concentrate entirely on club football with the FC Bayern women’s team. The 32-year-old announced this in an emotional statement on her Instagram channel.
“I have sad news that I share with all of you here,” said Eriksson in a video message to her fans. After a long time of “thinking and feeling,” she came to the decision to end her career with the Swedish national team, said Eriksson.
“It’s the hardest decision I’ve ever made. A decision I wish I didn’t have to make.” And further: “But I listen to my body and my head. And not to my heart. Unfortunately, that’s why I had to make the decision that way.” Eriksson paused at these words and had to collect herself briefly before continuing.
After 123 international matches it is now over. Eriksson won Olympic silver twice with Sweden (2016 and 2021), and she also came third in the World Cup twice (2019 and 2023). At this year’s European Championships, the team ended in the quarter-finals against eventual European champions England (2:3 iE).
“Playing for my country will always be one of the things I’m most proud of when I look back on my career,” she said and thanked all her former teammates “for this fantastic time”: “You inspired me, taught me so many things. We achieved so much, experienced so many football battles together and pushed women’s football forward together.”
Eriksson also thanked her Swedish fans. “We have been together through thick and thin. You were my biggest inspiration,” she said: “Now I will be one of you and the biggest fan of the Swedish national team.”
Eriksson suffered a serious injury at the end of 2023 with a metatarsal fracture, which meant she had to be sidelined for several months. She recently suffered from knee problems at FC Bayern. She missed a Swedish national team game in October because of a blow to the head. Eriksson moved to the record champions’ women’s team in Munich in the summer of 2023 together with her partner Pernille Harder. Her contract expires at the end of this season next summer.