Full name Hans Vimmo Eskilsson 1976–1983 IFK Ostersund Spouse Malin Swedberg 1973–1975 Ope IF Height 1.83 m | Playing position Role Footballer Place of birth Ostersund, Sweden Name Hans Eskilsson Position Forward | |
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Date of birth (1966-01-23) 23 January 1966 (age 49) | ||
Hans Vimmo Eskilsson (born 23 January 1966) is a Swedish retired footballer who played mainly as a striker.
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He played in 168 games in the Allsvenskan, scoring 19 goals. He also competed three seasons in Portugal and represented Hearts in Scotland, during a 20-year career.
Early years / Portugal
Eskilsson was born in Östersund, Jämtland County. After starting in the lower leagues with local IFK Östersund, he moved in 1985 to the top division with IFK Norrköping, then competed in the 1988 season with fellow league side Hammarby IF.
Eskilsson moved to Portugal at the age of 22, joining Sporting Clube de Portugal as an electoral asset of future president Jorge Gonçalves: during the better part of the following three seasons in the country – with a brief spell in his country with AIK Fotboll in between– he only scored three goals for as many teams, also representing S.C. Braga and G.D. Estoril Praia.
Hammarby / Hearts
In 1992 Eskilsson returned to former club Hammarby, netting 40 goals in his first two campaigns combined and promoting to the top level in the second. In early November 1995, after a short stint at Solna-based Vasalunds IF, he moved to Scotland to play for Heart of Midlothian in the Premier Division, being sparingly played during the season and being released as his contract was not renewed.
Aged 30, Eskilsson joined Hammarby for a third spell in 1996, again finding the side in division two and again helping it achieve promotion. He also began featuring regularly as a central defender, forming an efficient partnership with Pétur Marteinsson; late into his final stint, however, he suffered a severe leg injury after a two-footed challenge by Daniel Hoch in a derby game against AIK, having to retire from professional football.
International career
Eskilsson gained eight caps for Sweden during two years, his debut coming in 1988. Also in that year, he played Olympic football in Seoul, appearing in two matches for the eventual quarter-finalists.
International goals
Scores and results list Sweden's goal tally first.Post-retirement
Shortly after retiring, Eskilsson had a short spell as a manager, coaching lowly clubs Östersunds FK and Enköpings SK. He subsequently became a professional poker player.
Eskilsson married Swedish international footballer Malin Swedberg, and the couple have two children.