800-man fishing village football team writes fairy tale in Sweden

The humble Mjallby IF team from a small fishing village on the Baltic coast wrote one of the most magical fairy tales of European football when they were officially crowned champions of the Swedish national championship (Allsvenskan) on October 21.

A convincing 2-0 win over IFK Gothenburg saw Mjallby open up an unbridgeable 11-point lead with just three games remaining, marking the first time in the club's history that they have won a major trophy.

This extraordinary achievement was quickly compared to Leicester City's Premier League title triumph in 2016 – a testament to the power of will and collective spirit.

The magical journey of the fishing village football team

Đội bóng làng chài 800 người viết nên câu chuyện cổ tích ở Thụy Điển - 1 — Mjallby AIF players celebrate their early championship win at the Swedish Football Championship (Allsvenskan) in the early morning of October 21 (Photo: Getty).

Mjallby IF, based on the south coast of Sweden, feature a squad made up mainly of locally-born players. They play their home games at Strandvallen, a 6,000-seat stadium in the nearby village of Hallevik, which has a population of just 800. The club’s operating budget is also much more modest than that of the Swedish football giants.

Striker Jacob Bergstrom, who scored one of the two decisive goals, could not hide his emotion: “This is something I never thought would happen in my life. I am extremely grateful to be part of this group. We have shown that the power of the collective can take you incredibly far.”

Just nine years ago, Mjallby were on the brink of relegation to Sweden’s fourth tier. However, under the leadership of local businessman Magnus Emeus, who became president in 2015, the club made sound strategic decisions, achieving back-to-back promotions in 2018 and 2019, laying the foundations for today’s resounding success.

Impressive record and step into Europe

Under the guidance of coach Anders Torstensson, a school principal, Mjallby had a near-perfect season. They lost just one game and collected 66 points – just one point short of Malmö FF’s record total in the 101-year history of Allsvenskan. Mjallby’s defence, in particular, conceded just 17 goals in 27 games, an impressive tally.

This success not only brought the title but also opened the door to European competition for Mjallby. Next season, they will participate in the UEFA Champions League qualifying round for the first time, a historic milestone for the club.

Đội bóng làng chài 800 người viết nên câu chuyện cổ tích ở Thụy Điển - 2 — Mjallby fans celebrate their team's championship title (Photo: Getty).

The match in Gothenburg was filled with emotion. Some Mjallby fans, unable to contain their excitement, climbed out of the stands to celebrate early, but returned to their seats after a call from the players. When the final whistle blew, the team, coaching staff and staff erupted in joy, running towards the black and yellow stands to share the historic moment.

Founded in 1939, Mjallby have been a regular in the lower leagues. Their home ground, Strandvallen, in the sleepy Baltic village of Hällevik – where fishing is the main source of income – has seen an incredible run.

Alongside coach Torstensson, assistant Karl Marius Aksum, who has a PhD in Visual Perception in elite football and had never coached at a high level before joining Mjallby, also contributed significantly to this success.

In Mjallby's squad, there are prominent names such as Axel Noren, who has just been called up to the Swedish national team for the first time, and defender Abdullah Iqbal, captain of the Pakistan team.