Alexander Sørloth, born on December 5, 1995, in Trondheim, Norway, is a Norwegian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Atlético Madrid and the Norway national football team. He began his career at Rosenborg BK and subsequently represented Bodø/Glimt, FC Groningen, FC Midtjylland, Crystal Palace, KAA Gent, Trabzonspor, RB Leipzig, Real Sociedad, and Villarreal CF. During the 2019–2020 season, he scored 24 Süper Lig goals for Trabzonspor, becoming the league's leading goalscorer, and helped the club win the Turkish Cup. In the 2023–2024 season, he scored 23 La Liga goals for Villarreal, finishing one goal behind league top scorer Artem Dovbyk. He transferred to Atlético Madrid in August 2024, scored 20 league goals in his first season, and added 13 in the 2025–2026 campaign. Internationally, he has represented Norway since 2016 and was part of the squad that reached the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Early Life and Family Background

Alexander Sørloth was born on December 5, 1995, in Trondheim, Norway. His father, Gøran Sørloth, was a professional footballer who played for clubs including Rosenborg BK and represented the Norwegian national team in 55 international matches.

Growing up in a family with a professional football background, Sørloth began playing football at an early age. He initially developed his skills at Strindheim IL, a club based in Trondheim.

He later joined the youth academy of Rosenborg, where he continued his training as a forward. His height and physical development helped him play as a central striker, while his technical training emphasized controlling the ball and finishing scoring opportunities.

Sørloth is approximately 1.95 meters tall and predominantly left-footed.

Rosenborg and Professional Debut

Alexander Sørloth began his senior football career with Rosenborg BK in 2013.

He made his official first-team debut in a UEFA Europa League qualifying match against Crusaders FC in July 2013 and scored during the match.

During his early seasons, he had limited opportunities in the Norwegian league because of competition for attacking positions.

In 2014, he made six appearances in the Eliteserien, Norway's highest professional football division.

To obtain regular playing experience, Rosenborg arranged for him to join another Norwegian top-flight club on loan.

Bodø/Glimt: First Full Professional Season

In 2015, Alexander Sørloth moved to FK Bodø/Glimt on loan from Rosenborg.

He became a regular member of the team's attacking lineup and appeared in 26 Eliteserien matches.

He scored 13 league goals and provided four assists during the season.

His performances generated interest from clubs in other European leagues, leading to a transfer to the Netherlands.

FC Groningen

In November 2015, Alexander Sørloth agreed to join Dutch club FC Groningen, with the transfer taking effect in January 2016.

He made his debut in the Eredivisie during the second half of the 2015–2016 season.

Across his time at Groningen, he played 38 Dutch league matches and scored five goals.

His role varied between starting appearances and substitutions as the club used several attacking combinations.

In 2017, Sørloth left the Netherlands to join Danish side FC Midtjylland.

FC Midtjylland and the Danish Championship

In the summer of 2017, Alexander Sørloth signed for FC Midtjylland, competing in the Danish Superliga.

During the first half of the 2017–2018 season, he played 19 league matches and scored ten goals.

He also contributed goals in European competition, including the UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds.

His performances attracted interest from English Premier League clubs.

Although Sørloth left midway through the campaign, Midtjylland went on to win the 2017–2018 Danish Superliga championship.

Crystal Palace and Loan to Gent

On January 31, 2018, Alexander Sørloth transferred to Crystal Palace FC in the English Premier League.

He joined the London club under manager Roy Hodgson, who used him in several attacking positions.

However, Sørloth struggled to establish himself as a regular starter and did not score in his Premier League appearances.

During the second half of the 2018–2019 season, he joined KAA Gent in Belgium on loan.

He made 19 Belgian league appearances and scored four goals.

After returning to Crystal Palace, he agreed to another loan move, this time to Turkey.

Trabzonspor Career

On August 4, 2019, Alexander Sørloth joined Trabzonspor from Crystal Palace on a two-year loan agreement that included a purchase option.

He entered a squad managed by Ünal Karaman, with teammates including José Sosa, Anthony Nwakaeme, Abdülkadir Ömür, Caleb Ekuban, and Uğurcan Çakır.

Sørloth became Trabzonspor's first-choice striker during the 2019–2020 season. He remained in the starting lineup after Hüseyin Çimşir became head coach.

He contributed through goals, aerial play, and attacking combinations with the midfielders and wide forwards.

His performances included goals against several Süper Lig opponents and important contributions to Trabzonspor's Turkish Cup campaign.

2019–2020 Süper Lig Top Scorer

During the 2019–2020 Turkish Süper Lig season, Alexander Sørloth made 34 league appearances and scored 24 goals.

He finished as the competition's leading goalscorer, ahead of other strikers including Papiss Cissé, who played for Alanyaspor.

Sørloth also recorded eight league assists.

Trabzonspor finished the season in second place behind İstanbul Başakşehir.

His total of 24 league goals established a club record for a foreign player in a single Süper Lig season.

Across all official competitions in 2019–2020, he scored 33 goals in 49 matches, including seven goals in the Turkish Cup and two in European competition.

2020 Turkish Cup Victory

Alexander Sørloth was also involved in Trabzonspor's successful 2019–2020 Turkish Cup campaign.

During the competition, he scored against opponents including Erzurumspor and Fenerbahçe SK.

In the semi-finals, Trabzonspor eliminated Fenerbahçe with victories in both legs.

On July 29, 2020, Trabzonspor faced Alanyaspor in the Turkish Cup final at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul.

Abdülkadir Ömür opened the scoring in the 25th minute after an assist from Sørloth.

In the tenth minute of stoppage time, Sørloth scored Trabzonspor's second goal, completing a 2–0 victory.

The result secured the Turkish Cup for Trabzonspor, giving Sørloth a domestic cup title alongside his Süper Lig top-scorer award.

Transfer to RB Leipzig

On September 22, 2020, Alexander Sørloth joined RB Leipzig in Germany.

The club signed him to a five-year contract, with a transfer fee reported at approximately €20 million, excluding possible bonuses.

He became part of a squad managed by Julian Nagelsmann, which included Christopher Nkunku, Emil Forsberg, and Dani Olmo.

During the 2020–2021 season, Sørloth made 29 appearances in the Bundesliga and scored five goals.

RB Leipzig finished second in the league behind Bayern Munich and reached the DFB-Pokal final.

Sørloth did not establish himself as a consistent first-choice striker, and the club subsequently arranged a loan to Spain.

Real Sociedad: Two Seasons in Spain

In August 2021, Alexander Sørloth joined Real Sociedad on loan from RB Leipzig.

He made 33 league appearances in the 2021–2022 season and scored four goals.

He also appeared in the UEFA Europa League under manager Imanol Alguacil.

In August 2022, Real Sociedad agreed to extend his loan for another season.

During 2022–2023, Sørloth scored 12 goals in 34 La Liga matches, improving substantially on his previous league total.

His attacking teammates included Mikel Oyarzabal, Takefusa Kubo, and David Silva.

Real Sociedad finished fourth in La Liga in 2022–2023 and qualified for the following season's UEFA Champions League.

After the conclusion of his second loan spell, Sørloth returned to RB Leipzig before completing a permanent transfer to Villarreal.

Villarreal and the 2023–2024 Season

On August 25, 2023, Alexander Sørloth signed for Villarreal CF on a five-year contract.

He became the team's principal central striker during the 2023–2024 season.

Playing under managers including Marcelino García Toral, he registered 23 goals and six assists in 34 La Liga matches.

He finished second in the league's goalscoring standings, one goal behind Girona striker Artem Dovbyk, who scored 24.

Across all official competitions, Sørloth scored 26 goals in 41 appearances for Villarreal.

The season included a four-goal performance against Real Madrid, which was one of his most productive individual matches.

Four Goals Against Real Madrid

On May 19, 2024, Alexander Sørloth scored four goals against Real Madrid in a La Liga match at Villarreal's home stadium.

Real Madrid led 4–1 at half-time, with Arda Güler scoring twice and Joselu and Lucas Vázquez adding the other goals.

Sørloth scored Villarreal's first goal in the 39th minute before adding three more in the 48th, 52nd, and 56th minutes.

The match ended in a 4–4 draw.

His performance brought his league total to 23 goals for the season and placed him among the few players to score four times in a single La Liga match against Real Madrid.

Following the campaign, Atlético Madrid reached an agreement to sign him.

Transfer to Atlético Madrid

On August 3, 2024, Alexander Sørloth signed a four-year contract with Atlético Madrid, running until June 2028.

He joined the team managed by Diego Simeone and became part of an attacking lineup that included Antoine Griezmann and Julián Álvarez.

Sørloth made his La Liga debut for Atlético Madrid on August 19, 2024, against his former club Villarreal.

He scored during the 2–2 draw, recording his first league goal for Atlético Madrid.

He continued appearing as both a starter and substitute during the season, depending on the team's attacking formation.

2024–2025 Season at Atlético Madrid

In his first season with Atlético Madrid, Alexander Sørloth played 35 La Liga matches and scored 20 goals.

His goals included contributions in matches against several Spanish clubs, and Atlético Madrid completed the league campaign in third place.

He also appeared in the UEFA Champions League and domestic cup competitions.

One of his most productive performances came against his former team Real Sociedad in May 2025.

Four Goals Against Real Sociedad

On May 10, 2025, Alexander Sørloth scored all four goals in Atlético Madrid's 4–0 victory over Real Sociedad.

He scored his first goal in the seventh minute, followed by further goals in the tenth and eleventh minutes.

The three goals constituted a hat-trick within approximately four minutes, setting a record for the fastest hat-trick in La Liga history.

He scored a fourth goal in the 30th minute, completing his second four-goal performance in the Spanish league within one year.

2025–2026 and 2026–2027 Seasons

During the 2025–2026 season, Alexander Sørloth made 35 La Liga appearances and scored 13 goals for Atlético Madrid.

He played approximately 1,980 league minutes and started 20 matches.

Atlético Madrid finished fourth in the league, while Sørloth also contributed to the club's European campaign.

In the UEFA Champions League, he scored five goals in 14 appearances during the season.

He remained with Atlético Madrid for the 2026–2027 season, continuing to compete for a place in the team's attack under Diego Simeone.

As of October 2026, Sørloth was still contracted to the Madrid club.

Norway National Team Career

Alexander Sørloth represented Norway at under-16, under-17, under-18, under-19, and under-21 international levels before joining the senior national team.

He made his senior international debut on May 29, 2016, against Portugal in a friendly match. Norway lost 3–0.

Over the following years, Sørloth appeared in international friendlies, UEFA Nations League matches, European Championship qualifiers, and FIFA World Cup qualifying competitions.

He became part of an attacking group featuring Erling Haaland, Martin Ødegaard, and Jørgen Strand Larsen.

During the tenure of manager Ståle Solbakken, Sørloth continued representing Norway, providing an alternative central forward and playing alongside Haaland in some attacking formations.

2026 FIFA World Cup

Norway qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after finishing first in its European qualifying group.

The qualification ended a 28-year absence from the tournament, as Norway had last competed in the World Cup in 1998.

Alexander Sørloth was included in Norway's squad for the tournament held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Under coach Ståle Solbakken, Norway finished second in Group I after defeating Iraq and Senegal and losing to France.

In the knockout stage, Norway defeated Côte d'Ivoire 2–1 in the round of 32 and Brazil 2–1 in the round of 16.

Norway faced England in the quarter-finals on July 11, 2026, and lost 2–1 after extra time.

The quarter-final appearance was Norway's best finish at a men's FIFA World Cup.

Sørloth remained a member of the Norway national team following the tournament.

Playing Style

Alexander Sørloth is a left-footed central striker standing approximately 1.95 meters tall.

His height allows him to compete for aerial balls, while his physical strength helps him receive passes under defensive pressure and hold possession for teammates.

He is also capable of making runs behind defenders and finishing opportunities from crosses and through balls.

At Trabzonspor, he frequently played as the central striker in a formation supported by wide attacking players.

During his periods at Real Sociedad, Villarreal, and Atlético Madrid, he operated in both single-striker and two-forward attacking arrangements.

His league scoring records in Turkey and Spain include goals from headers, close-range finishes, and left-footed shots.

Personal Life and Family

Alexander Sørloth is the son of former Norwegian international footballer Gøran Sørloth, who represented clubs including Rosenborg during his professional career.

Since 2015, Alexander has been in a relationship with Lena Selnes, a Norwegian social media content creator.

Selnes accompanied him during periods of his professional career in Turkey, Germany, and Spain.

After Sørloth transferred to Trabzonspor in 2019, the couple lived in Trabzon before subsequently moving to Germany and Spain for his later club appointments.

Their daughter, Emma, was born in April 2024.

On January 1, 2026, Sørloth announced through a social media post that he and Selnes had welcomed their second child, a son. His representative confirmed the birth to Norwegian media.

In 2026, the family was based in Madrid, where Sørloth continued his professional football career.

Club Honors

FC Midtjylland:
2017–2018 – Danish Superliga champion

Trabzonspor:
2019–2020 – Turkish Cup winner
2019–2020 – Turkish Süper Lig runner-up

RB Leipzig:
2020–2021 – Bundesliga runner-up
2020–2021 – DFB-Pokal runner-up

Individual Awards and Records

2019–2020 – Turkish Süper Lig top scorer, 24 goals, Trabzonspor
2019–2020 – Turkish Cup top scorer, seven goals, Trabzonspor
2019–2020 – Trabzonspor's highest-scoring foreign player in a single Süper Lig season, 24 goals
2023–2024 – La Liga top-scorer runner-up, 23 goals, Villarreal
May 19, 2024 – Four goals against Real Madrid, Villarreal
May 10, 2025 – Four goals against Real Sociedad, Atlético Madrid
May 10, 2025 – Fastest hat-trick in La Liga history, approximately four minutes, Atlético Madrid

Professional Football Career

2013–2015 – Rosenborg BK (Norway)
2015 – FK Bodø/Glimt (Norway; loan)
2016–2017 – FC Groningen (Netherlands)
2017–2018 – FC Midtjylland (Denmark)
2018–2020 – Crystal Palace FC (England; parent club)
2019 – KAA Gent (Belgium; loan)
2019–2020 – Trabzonspor (Turkey; loan)
2020–2023 – RB Leipzig (Germany; parent club)
2021–2023 – Real Sociedad (Spain; two loan spells)
2023–2024 – Villarreal CF (Spain)
2024–Present – Atlético Madrid (Spain)

Selected Career Statistics

2015 – Bodø/Glimt: 26 league matches, 13 goals
2017–2018 – Midtjylland: 19 league matches, 10 goals
2019–2020 – Trabzonspor: 34 league matches, 24 goals
2020–2021 – RB Leipzig: 29 league matches, five goals
2021–2022 – Real Sociedad: 33 league matches, four goals
2022–2023 – Real Sociedad: 34 league matches, 12 goals
2023–2024 – Villarreal: 34 league matches, 23 goals
2024–2025 – Atlético Madrid: 35 league matches, 20 goals
2025–2026 – Atlético Madrid: 35 league matches, 13 goals

Source: Biyografiler.com