Kevin Lidin
Kevin Lidin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | Kevin Lidin March 4, 1999 Lund, Sweden | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupations | Former professional footballer; Buddhist monk | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Kevin Lidin (born 4 March 1999) is a Swedish former professional footballer and Buddhist monk. He played as a midfielder in Sweden and Italy before retiring in his early twenties. After ending his football career, he travelled to Thailand where he undertook a period of Buddhist monastic training.[1]
Early life
Lidin was born in Lund, Sweden.[2] He developed within the youth academy of Lunds BK and progressed through the club's youth structure. Swedish reporting later described him as a technically oriented midfielder who sought opportunities abroad as a teenager.[3]
Professional career
Lunds BK
Lidin made recorded league appearance for Lunds BK in Ettan Fotboll, the third tier of Swedish football.[3]
Move to Italy
At 18 years old, Lidin moved to Italy to pursue a professional career.[4] He joined Pisa during the club's participation in Serie C. During his time at Pisa, the team secured promotion from Serie C.[4]
Although he trained with the first-team environment, no senior competitive league appearances are officially recorded for him at Pisa.[5]
Loan to Paganese
During the 2018–19 season, Lidin was loaned to Paganese in Serie C, where he made one recorded league appearance.[2]
Return to Pisa and Sweden
He returned to Pisa in early 2020.[5] In 2021 he joined Swedish side Limhamn Bunkeflo.[4]
Injuries and retirement
Recurring injuries significantly affected Lidin's professional development. Swedish sources report that he underwent six operations during his playing career.[3][4] The repeated rehabilitation periods limited his match availability and progression within competitive squads.
He retired from professional football at age 23.[4]
Monastic life
Following his retirement, Lidin travelled to Thailand where he initially engaged in yoga and meditation as part of physical and mental recovery.[4] He later entered a structured 30-day Buddhist monk programme.[3][6]
During this period he shaved his head, wore monastic robes and adhered to a disciplined daily schedule, including meditation, alms practices and communal temple routines associated with Theravada Buddhism.[7]
Later life
After his time in Thailand, Lidin resided for a period in Barcelona, where he pursued studies in psychology and personal training through remote education.[8] He continued practising meditation and physical training, describing his shift away from competitive sport toward personal development and mental balance.[3]
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lunds BK | 2016–17 | Ettan Fotboll | 5 | 2 |
| Pisa | 2018–20 | Serie C | 20 | 1 |
| → Paganese (loan) | 2018–19 | Serie C | 11 | 4 |
| Limhamn Bunkeflo | 2021 | Swedish lower divisions | 6 | 8 |
| Total | 42 | 15 | ||
See also
References
- ^ Møller, Gregers (2025-02-25). "Swedish footballer's surprising new life in Thailand". Scandasia. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ^ a b "Kevin Lidin – Profile". Paganese Calcio 1926. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ a b c d e "Ex-fotbollstalangen Kevin Lidin levde som munk i Thailand". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f "Kevin Lidin gav upp fotbollskarriären – blev munk i Thailand". Expressen (in Swedish). Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ a b "Kevin Lidin, ex Pisa, calciatore diventato monaco buddista". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ Fotbollsspelaren Kevin Lidin blev munk: (in Swedish). Retrieved 2026-02-24 – via tv.aftonbladet.se.
- ^ "Footballer-turned-monk documents transformation on Instagram". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ Dundic, Masha (2025-02-22). "Fra fotballdrøm til indre ro: Kevins reise til selvoppdagelse". Dagbladet (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 2026-02-24.