Alexander Isak, the 25-year-old Swedish striker, is the hottest prospect in Premier League football right now. The mercurial Swedish international has registered 15 goals and 4 assists across all competitions for Newcastle United and is the 4th highest goal scorer in the Premier League with 13 goals in 18 games.
Standing at 192 cm (6 feet 4 inches), Isak’s agility and skill have been pivotal in Newcastle’s ascent to fifth place in the league this season.
Further, in a world where big teams like Manchester United, Arsenal, and even Real Madrid are struggling to find a seasoned striker for their side, Isak, with his immense output and goal threat, has proved to be a gem in a rather scarce market.
But why is Football Twitter, and more over the internet, referring to the Swedish-born striker as ‘Somali?’ Let’s know a bit more about the story behind the striker that is taking the Premier League by storm.
Despite his on-field achievements, online communities have been buzzing with discussions about Isak’s heritage, often referring to him as “Somali” or “Isak Somali.”
This intrigue stems from two main factors:
East African Roots and History
Isak was born in Solna, Sweden, but to Eritrean parents (who moved from Africa to Sweden), giving him East African heritage. He was raised in the Solna Municipality in Stockholm, where he spent most of his childhood.
The reason behind that was that in the 1980s, Alexander Isak’s father, Teame, a teacher, sought a brighter future for his family as Eritrea was engulfed in a prolonged civil war for liberation. Seeking safety and better opportunities, Teame and his wife left their homeland and were warmly welcomed in Sweden. Alexander was born in 1999 in Solna, where he began his football journey at the age of six, training with the local club AIK.
In 2018, Alexander Isak embarked on a journey to reconnect with this East African heritage. The Newcastle star, who later impressed for Sweden at Euro 2020, traveled to Eritrea in East Africa. During his visit, he explored his surroundings, visited a local football school, and sought to deepen his understanding of his cultural roots.
Looking back on his journey, the striker said,
I think it is a really big part of my life that I am at Eritrean, and I’m really proud of that. Going back to Eritrea in 2018 was really great. It was the best trip that I’ve made. I was visiting my family’s village, the people there, and to go back to see my family. I was also visiting the football clubs, and it was like a sports center, and there were over 300 kids training in quite small spaces, and yeah, everyone was just enjoying playing football and just enjoying life. So it was really fun for me also to be there to play football with them, and it was an overall great experience.
So, there is your first reason. This is why fundamentally the internet has been referring to him as Somali. Due to his obvious East African roots. But wait, there’s more to it.
The football community has also noted the scarcity of top-tier footballers from East African nations like Eritrea and Somalia. This rarity has led fans to celebrate Isak as a beacon of representation for the region, with one fan humorously thanking the Somali pirates, stating,
Isak might be the first and only good East African footballer ever. The Somalian pirate who smuggled Isak into Sweden deserves the world.
Having that Typical Somali Build
Further, the internet often engages in light-hearted banter about the typical physique associated with East Africans, particularly Somalis, who are stereotypically described as having lean builds. Famous Youtubers like Chunkz have often joked about this, with Chunkz himself having Somalian roots.
However, in spite of Isak’s slender frame and height alignment, his technique on the ball and dribbling is that of a skilled craftsman. This odd stereotype, which is not associated with usual East African Somali footballers, led to playful comparisons and Somali shoutouts across X.
One Swedish fan humorously recognized the rare combination of this DNA by stating,
Made in Sweden, bro, and is ours, tbf; genetics are all East African. East African genetics combined with Swedish IQ might be the move to keep producing them!
Right, then there’s your answer to the Somali shoutouts over the Internet that Alexander has recently been receiving.
Isak isn’t just lighting up the Premier League; he’s also putting East Africa on the football map. With his killer instincts on the pitch and deep-rooted heritage, his rise is more than a success story—it’s a celebration of culture, skill, and the unexpected magic that comes from blending East African roots with Swedish finesse.
So folks, listen to us when we say, ‘Watch Out’ because the future is definitely Isak-shaped!
