Peter Wennberg recalls a recent under-11s training session where focus had drifted. He called a halt and asked the young players about their priorities. One of them replied: “What did Alexander Isak choose?” It was an easy way to reset their focus. Even in his absence, Isak continues to inspire the next generation.
Inside AIK Stockholm’s academy, Wennberg describes the facility that helped shape one of the world’s top strikers. Isak will lead Newcastle’s attack in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool, their best chance at ending a 56-year trophy drought. His game blends poise with unpredictability, cool composure with moments of brilliance. AIK’s system is not about mass-producing talent; it is about handcrafting each individual.
“It’s rough, it’s dirty, but it’s everything,” Wennberg says. “Every day, 150 players come through here. It’s never fancy, but there’s a lot of love.” Isak entered this environment at six, progressing through the system to make his first-team debut within a decade. The academy embraces young talents from diverse backgrounds, offering them a place to dream.
A gym mural features academy graduates, with a vacant space at its center, motivating players to strive for excellence. Isak remains a role model, proving that dedication and resilience pay off. Even now, his former coaches and teammates share stories about his rise. The day after Isak scored twice in Newcastle’s win over Nottingham Forest, an AIK staff member who had traveled to watch the match received a personal favor from him. “He never forgets,” Wennberg says. “He’s humble and always appreciated the people who worked around him.”
Alexander Snäcke, once a highly rated teammate of Isak, now a coach at AIK, recalls their under-17 championship-winning team. “A golden team,” Wennberg says. “We had 20 players who were like 20 coaches with all their ideas.” They vividly remember a crucial semi-final where Isak’s two assists turned the game.
Elias Mineirji, a former AIK player and coach, recalls realizing Isak’s extraordinary potential when he was 16. During one of his first senior training sessions, Isak sprinted 60 yards before firing a shot into the net. “We just looked at each other,” Mineirji says. “He did it against the first team? At his age? He can do it against anyone.”
Despite his talent, Isak’s path was not straightforward. At 14, he had a reputation for taking things too easily. A coaching report from 2013 questioned whether he had a future at the club. The turning point came when AIK considered not selecting him for a national tournament. Feeling the sting, Isak redoubled his efforts and never looked back.
Johnny Gustafsson, another of Isak’s coaches, emphasizes that nothing was guaranteed. “A lot of people say they knew he’d be a top player at 10 or 12,” he says. “But we who worked with him saw the reality. He had to earn it.” AIK’s coaches recall losing footballs, only to find that Isak and his teammates were secretly taking them for extra training.
Henok Goitom, a former AIK striker, remembers his first impression of Isak. During a possession drill, 15-year-old Isak refused to pass to him not out of arrogance but because an opponent was too close. “That’s when I knew he was brilliantly intelligent,” Goitom says.
Isak’s journey took him to Borussia Dortmund, Willem II, Real Sociedad, and now Newcastle. He embodies the AIK philosophy of hard work and perseverance. Wennberg sums it up best: “We don’t walk around on clouds here. It’s Alex’s story. We’re just part of it.”
