Former Swedish youth international arrives in Paradise for inaugural USL League One season
SARASOTA, FL (MARCH 26, 2026) — Sarasota Paradise today announced the signing of Swedish defender Hugo Bäckstrand. The 20-year-old joins Paradise from the highly renowned academy of Malmö FF, adding a decorated presence to the club’s defensive unit. A national champion and two-time domestic cup winner within the Swedish youth ranks, Bäckstrand lands in Sarasota ready to contribute to the club’s inaugural USL League One campaign.
Bäckstrand arrives in Sarasota following a successful tenure with Malmö FF in the Swedish U19 Allsvenskan, appearing in every match of the 2025 campaign and captaining the U19 side. The defender’s pedigree is further highlighted by his international experience, having earned three appearances for the Swedish U17 National Team, and spending time training with the Malmö FF first team. A versatile player, Bäckstrand primarily operates as a defender who has proven his ability to feature on both sides of the pitch.
“Signing Hugo is a perfect example of many things in our club coming together,” said Head Coach Mika Elovaara. “Our founder and CEO, Marcus Walfridson, has an incredible network around the world, which brought Hugo to our attention. After scouting him thoroughly and getting to know him, we knew he would be an excellent fit for our roster, both for the short and the long term. Moving across the ocean and moving to a new country to pursue your dreams as a young man is something I can relate to, and I am delighted that Hugo took this big step forward. Now we all work together to continue to make progress on and off the field, building Paradise together.”
His arrival continues to grow the Nordic contingent at the club, which includes fellow Nordic talents Maximus Tainio, Jørgen Pettersen, and Sander Røed.
“I’m super excited to join Sarasota Paradise and to meet all the players and staff. I’m looking forward to playing for the fans and helping the team succeed in our first professional season,” said Bäckstrand. “This season is gonna be a great one, so why not be a part of it by coming to our games and supporting us! We’re gonna play entertaining and high-quality soccer.”
The signing of Bäckstrand highlights the club’s ambition to develop young players for the professional game. By bringing high-caliber prospects to Sarasota, Paradise offers fans a front-row seat to the future stars of the sport, while establishing a must-attend local entertainment experience.
ABOUT SARASOTA PARADISE
Sarasota Paradise is a professional soccer club competing in USL League One, playing its home games at Premier Sports Campus at Lakewood Ranch, a 3,000+ seat stadium. Founded by Swedish entrepreneur Marcus Walfridson, the club transitioned to the professional ranks in 2026 after a successful stint in USL League Two. For more information on tickets and the inaugural professional season, visit sarasotaparadise.us
MEDIA CONTACT
Ryan Bailey: ryan@redknotcomms.com
