Goalkeeper Jacob Rinne has opened up about his mental journey at Djurgarden, from a tough start to becoming the club's undisputed number one. In an interview with Fotbollskanalen's show Bollklubben this week, the 33-year-old detailed the inner turbulence during 2025 and the trust that has now paid off.
How was Rinne's initial period at Djurgarden?
Jacob Rinne's arrival at Djurgarden in the summer of 2024 was not the immediate success he had hoped for. He found himself in a difficult rotation situation with Filip Manojlovic, where neither goalkeeper established themselves as the clear first choice. Rinne admits it was a special and tough period. He felt much of the negative noise came from within the organization, which affected him. Despite this, he never doubted his own ability and kept working.
A turning point came this year when Djurgarden chose to fully commit to Rinne and loan Manojlovic to Norwegian side Start. The club also brought in Lukas Jonsson as a clear second-choice goalkeeper, a decision confirmed by coach Jani Honkavaara. This gave Rinne the calm and trust he had been seeking. "I really feel a completely different calm from those in charge," he says. His current status is reflected in the squad overview, where he is listed as the club's first-choice keeper.
Why did Rinne decide to stay at the club?
In the summer of 2025, Jacob Rinne came close to leaving Djurgarden. His former club Al-Fateh tried to sign him. But his deep feelings for the club made him stay. "If I didn't have the heart I have for Djurgarden, I probably wouldn't have been at the club during the autumn of 2025," Rinne explains. He wanted to build a legacy in blue and white and win trophies, something he would have been deeply disappointed to miss.
Rinne has played a key role in Djurgarden's season so far. The team is currently in a European qualification spot in the standings, a position they bolstered with an important win against Malmö FF. Expert Nordin Gerzic, who played with Rinne at Örebro, has named him the best goalkeeper in Allsvenskan so far this year. Rinne's save percentage of 78% is among the highest in the league, according to the latest stats.
How did Rinne handle the external pressure?
Pressure from media and fans can be taxing, especially at a big club. Rinne says he is mentally strong and focuses on influencing what he can. "Block out what is external noise," is his philosophy. The biggest challenge was that noise also came from within the club during his early days.
A concrete example of a difficult moment was the derby loss to AIK, where Djurgarden fell 3-1. Rinne describes the first half as one of the worst moments during his time at the club. It's a match he is more ashamed of than any other in his career. Such setbacks underline the importance of mental strength in the chase for top positions.
What does this mean for Djurgarden's future?
With Rinne as a stabilizing force between the posts, Djurgarden has a solid foundation. His contract expires after the 2026 season, giving the club and player time to evaluate the future. For now, the focus is on securing European qualification. The team's offensive capability, with players like Deniz Hümmet leading the internal scoring charts, complements the defensive security.
Djurgarden faces a tough run of fixtures, which you can follow on our fixtures page. Rinne's development from a contested newcomer to one of the league's best goalkeepers shows the way for other players at the club. His story is one of perseverance and genuine love for the club, factors that will be decisive during the final rounds.
