 | ||||
| Full name | Idrottsföreningen Elfsborg | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicknames | Di Gule (The Yellow Ones) Eleganterna (The Elegants) | |||
| Founded | 26 June 1904; 121 years ago (1904-06-26) (asBorås Fotbollslag) | |||
| Ground | Borås Arena,Borås | |||
| Capacity | 14,500[1] | |||
| Chairman | Sune Lundqvist | |||
| Manager | Oscar Hiljemark | |||
| League | Allsvenskan | |||
| 2025 | Allsvenskan, 8th of 16 | |||
| Website | www | |||
 Current season | ||||
Idrottsföreningen Elfsborg, more commonly known asIF Elfsborg or simplyElfsborg (Swedish pronunciation:[ˈɛ̌lfsbɔrj]), is a professionalfootball club based inBorås, Sweden, and is affiliated to theVästergötlands Fotbollförbund.[2] They play in theAllsvenskan and have spent most of their history in the top tier ofSwedish football. Their homeground isBorås Arena, where they have played since 17 April 2005.[3]
The club was founded in 1904 by a group of 19[4] youngsters which all were 14–15 years old.Borås Fotbollslag[5] was formed in Ordenshuset atLandala (todayKnalleland) on 26 June 1904. The main protagonist in the formation, Carl Larson, who in addition to football also practicedathletics andwrestling, claimed the reason was that the main sports club in the city, Borås Athletic and Sports Society, would not exert football in their program.[6]
Carl Larson,[7] however, found that there were too many clubs containing the city nameBorås which contributed to the name change in 1906 byRiksidrottsförbundet to the current, IF Elfsborg. The name is derived fromÄlvsborg County where instead of making use of the modern spelling Älvsborg, they used the older spelling with anE. The same goes for the club colours, reflected in their crest and kit, yellow and black. Colours that are taken fromÄlvsborg Regiment, Elfsborg would not only represent a city but a whole region. A recurring motto of the club is"Vi Tillsammans" (We together).[8][9]
The club's homegroundBorås Arena is also calledElfsborg Fortress,[10] since Elfsborg isAllsvenskan home strongest team in the 2000s (decade).[11] It is one of two teams inAllsvenskan that has won against theSweden national team[12] with 2–1 in the opening ceremony ofRyavallen (the other team isAIK 1979 with 3–2[13]) and one of only two teams to win Allsvenskan as newcomers in1961, the other team wasÖsters IF in1968.[14] Elfsborg have repeatedly participated for the qualifier toChampions League,Europa League and was as late as 2007 in2007–08 UEFA Cup[15] and was one of the co-winners in2008 UEFA Intertoto Cup the following year.The club have won sixnational championships, the latest in2012, and threenational cups.[16]
Borås Fotbollslag was formed on 26 June 1904, by a group of youngsters. In 1906 the name was changed to IF Elfsborg, because the founders felt there were too many teams with 'Borås' in their name. In 1926 Elfsborg wonVästsvenska Serien, and defeatedHalmstad BK in the play-off, and was promoted toAllsvenskan for the first time. During the 1930s Elfsborg built a very strong team led by strikerSven Jonasson, who appeared in both the1934 and1938 World Cup. In1936 Elfsborg won Allsvenskan for the first time, and two more titles followed soon after (1939 and1940). During this period Elfsborg had as many as seven players in theSweden national team.
The club also fielded abandy team for decades.[17] In 1920, 1924, 1927, 1932, 1934, and 1938, IF Elfsborg won the Västergötland bandy district championship.[18]
In 1941 Elfsborg leftRamnavallen to play their home games at the newly constructedRyavallen. The first game at the new ground was supposed to be a friendly betweenSweden andFinland, but Finland's involvement in the Second World War prevented them from playing, so they were replaced by Elfsborg, who beat Sweden 2–1.
In the mid-1940s Elfsborg came close to claiming Allsvenskan again, but finished second three consecutive seasons. By the late 1940s, Elfsborg's glory days were sparse, and the club would relegated in 1954.
In 1960 Elfsborg won promotion after an impressive season with 20 wins in 22 games, and the club won Allsvenskan for the fourth time in1961, becoming the first Swedish team to go straight from the second level to becoming champions. This was under the leadership of the legendary Sven Andreasson as chairman.
In1977 Elfsborg reached second place, but the following years proved difficult for the club. In1987 Elfsborg finished last in Allsvenskan, and did not return to the top flight until1997. The team that won promotion contained several future Swedish internationals includingAnders Svensson andTobias Linderoth. Even though Elfsborg won their first two cup titles (in 2001 and 2003), the club struggled to stay in Allsvenskan in the following years.
In 2005 Elfsborg spent a lot of money on building Borås Arena, and bringing back former players. The investments paid off and the fifth Championship was won in2006 – the club's first Allsvenskan title for 41 years. The year after Elfsborg appeared in theChampions League qualifying stage for the first time, and subsequently reached the group stage in theUEFA Cup for the first time. On the way there they knocked outLinfield FC (Northern Ireland) andDebreceni VSC (Hungary) in the qualification stage of the Champions League before eventually being eliminated themselves by the hands ofValencia CF (Spain) in the last round. The club won the last round of qualifications for the Uefa Cup againstFC Dinamo București (Romania).
In the group stage IF Elfsborg facedAC Fiorentina andVillarreal away andAEK Athens andFK Mladá Boleslav at Borås Arena and was knocked out.
In the following years, IF Elfsborg under the guidance of coach Magnus Haglund and his 4-2-3-1-formation have established themselves as a top club in Swedish football. The clearly stated ambition to finish top 4, qualifying for European football every year. In 2007, the club finished 4th securing a place in the last edition of the Intertoto-cup, from which they advanced but was surprisingly knocked out bySt Patrick's Athletic F.C. in the second qualifying round of theUEFA Cup after conceding late goals in both legs.
The team bounced back though, competing for the title again until the very last round of2008. In the end, injuries to key players likeAnders Svensson andStefan Ishizaki proved to costly, eventually having to settle for second place behindKalmar FF.
The following year, IF Elfsborg once again challenged for a place in European football, brushing aside Hungarian sideSzombathelyi Haladás and PortugueseS.C. Braga before eventually falling in the last qualifying round againstS.S. Lazio.
IF Elfsborg were big favourites for winning the2009 but had a problem capitalizing on their high possession and serendipity and eventually ranking third behindAIK and rivalsIFK Göteborg.
The following season expectations remained high, but a mediocre start (only nine points in the first 9 rounds), the IF Elfsborg2010 campaign became an uphill struggle, andHelsingborgs IF andMalmö FF were uncatchable.Malmö FF would be champions with IF Elfsborg in fourth place.
2010 marked IF Elfsborg's fourth consecutive season in continental football. The team entered theEuropa League second qualifying round in the seeded pot having no real difficulties eliminating Moldovan sideFC Iskra-Stal (on an aggregate score of 3–1). The Macedonian sideFK Teteks proved unchallenging in the following round with IF Elfsborg realising an emphatic 5–0 first leg win.
The team seemed in good shape to make a serious challenge for reaching the Europa League group stage even though they would be unseeded in the last qualifying round. Unfortunately the draw was once again one of the worst realised.SSC Napoli was held to a 1–0 win away atStadio San Paolo following a stellar effort by new Danish signingJesper Christiansen, but the Italians proved too strong in the second leg where they cruised to a 2–0 victory, both goals scored by Uruguay internationalEdinson Cavani.
The 2010 season was busy for transfers, both in and out. Sweden internationalEmir Bajrami making his way toFC Twente during the summer and top goalscorerDenni Avdic moving toWerder Bremen during the January transfer window. Three players were signed from Danish clubs. Former heroJon Jönsson was brought in fromBrøndby IF during the summer to bolster the defense, goalkeeperJesper Christiansen fromFC København and right backAndreas Klarström fromEsbjerg fB making a comeback to the club.
The club signings during the 2010–2011 winter were notable. Brought in were: forwardLasse Nilsson fromVitesse Arnhem, central defenderAndreas Augustsson fromRanders FC and target manDavid Elm fromFulham F.C. Once again, many of the media pundits were thinking that IF Elfsborg were firm favourites to win the2011.
In early spring formerallsvenskan top goalscorerFredrik Berglund decided to hang up his boots.
The2011 campaign showed an IF Elfsborg seemingly set on playing a more successful straightforward counter-attacking game. The team started bringing home the occasional away wins. By season's midpoint the team was trailingHelsingborgs IF at the top of the table. Young left wingerNiklas Hult was the standout player during that half of the season, quickly establishing himself in the team and being touted by some members of the press as "the newFreddie Ljungberg".
In continental football, IF Elfsborg entered the fray in the first qualifying round of the Europa League.CS Fola Esch were brushed aside after winning 4–0 in the first leg at home and drawing (1–1) away.
Ever sinceElfsborg was established they wore the main colour yellow with some stripes of black. The yellow and black color originates inÄlvsborg, and it wasÄlvsborg Regiment[19] that had yellow and black color on their flag, which meant that Elfsborg of course would play in these colors. So it became yellow shirts and black shorts. The costumes remained pure in the colors yellow and black with no club text scrolling on the chest or back. They were simply pure in their colors, and it remained so until the 1940s when trends over Sweden was to adorn their badge on the shirt. In this manner, they could strengthen their brand even more. For Elfsborgs part it was the classic black textElfsborg in italics placed on the chest at the heart. From 1940 until 2007, almost 50 years, the classic text Elfsborg decorated chest. From 2007 there was a change to what is now the official club emblem there, an emblem derived from the 1970s and has appeared in several versions at most of Elfsborg sections. It is a crown of yellow and black with Elfsborg engraved in it and a football at the top. The reason for the change was mainly to promote the club brand. They wanted a brand that people and companies could associate themselves with – instead of a text as before.[20][21]
Elfsborg reserve kit is red, and become so as a tribute to a 1941 match against theSweden. The match was intended a celebration to the Elfsborg new arenaRyavallen. ButSecond World War deprivation left Elfsborg with a choice of kit the same color, yellow, as their opponent. On short notice, a kit was borrowed from Borås Wäferi, red and white. The Elfsbor 2-1 win would be memorialized in the red kit. Sweden played in yellow. The colours red and white figure prominently as symbols of the city ofBorås, in the coat of arms with the two scissors. Elfsborg has the distinction of being the only team inAllsvenskan's history to ever defeatSweden.[22]
The shirts remained long without a major sponsor, which would obviously affect the economy. WhenIFE harrowed in Division 1 South inthe early 1990s, Olle Blomqvist CEO ofEllos went in with large sums of money and saved the association by becoming the major sponsor. This was not necessarily because he is particularly interested in football, but because he knew the importance Elfsborg had toBorås and Sjuhärad. Ellos became such a prominent sponsor that people jokingly began to Christen the team "Ellos" due to its presence on their shirts.[23] In 2010, a survey showed that Elfsborg was second best team inAllsvenskan to acquire sponsorship money and to establish and maintain contact with theirsponsor.[24] The same year, Elfsborg broke a record in local sponsorships around Sjuhärad when its sponsor money increased from 28 to 33 millionSEK.[25]
It was not until recently that they signed a contract with major sportbrands. Elfsborg have significantly signed a contract withUmbro up to this date to use their collection of both soccer shoes and clothes. So strong was Umbro's sponsorship, that a section ofBorås Arena became "umbrocorner". In earlier years, teams always sewed their own shirts, but with a contract from a major label, new shirts get released into the market each year– which is an economical advantage.[26]
One of the first homegrounds to Elfsborg was a small pitch of grass in Folkparken (Ramnaparken today). However Elfsborg noticed quickly that it required more space to be on, both for training and matches. They went toFristad and Fristads hed where they practiced and played, due to the more space. Next ground that was inBorås was Apotekarnas Mosse who would later become today'sRamnavallen.[19]
Ramnavallen was completed in1922 and then got Elfsborg finally run out on his long-awaited stadium, Ramnavallen. At its time, this was a very modern stadium even though it initially took only 2.700 spectators.Borås Tidning was lyrical about the contribution and described the stadium as impressive from the provincial point of view and because it had high international standards. Elfsborg firstAllsvenskan league match on Ramnavallen was played in 1926 and guests wereÖrgryte IS. 3887 spectators came and saw Evert Lundqvist make the only goal for the guests. The next season became the first yellow and black premiere triumph on the new stadium.AIK came to Ramnavallen and were defeated with 2–1.[27]
Elfsborg kept ramnavallen as a homeground until 1941 and during this time won three league titles. Attendance record of ramnavallen was against AIK7 June 1936, the end game before the league gold, 16.348 spectators came to see Elfsborg win their first league title in history.[28]
Ryavallen was completed in 1941 and became first of all the new homeground of IFElfsborg. But it was alsoBorås first major sports stadium, where the usual track and field could be exercised. Hence the athletics track along the pitch. Before one grandstand was demolished in 2005 the capacity was 19.400, to today's approximately 7,000. The old Ryavallen in Borås will get a facelift in 2012. Prior to SwedishAthleticsChampionship 2013, the current six running tracks widened to eight, and both seat grandstand and the earthworks plan is stripped to make room. The old legendary dikes on Ryavallen gets a proper scratch when Ryavallen upgraded for 13 millionSEK. After the renovation, Ryavallen will not be approved to play football on bySwedish Football Association norUEFA, it will in the future only be used for the purpose ofathletics.[30][31]
At one point came ryavallen to be used for achampionship. During the1958 FIFA World Cup, it hosted the matches between USSR and Austria, and between England and Austria. The Soviet Union won their match against Austria with 2–0, and England had a draw against Austria, 2–2. A championship where Sweden came as a surprise to the finals where they faced Brazil. It ended with a 5–2 loss, but an honorable second place which is the best Sweden performed in aWorld Cup.[32]
The most memorable event in Ryavallen was the gold game againstÖrgryte IS – 1961. Elfsborg facedÖrgryte on Ryavallen and plays 1–1. When the final whistle sounded, it was clear that Elfsborg as first team come up from Division 2 and immediately wonAllsvenskan gold. This made them historic. This was the fourth league gold for Elfsborg. Another very memorable moment of the more terrible degree was when the grandstand collapsed againstIFK Göteborg – 1979. The reason was because of the high spectator pressure (19,170) the grandstand collapsed and 10 people had to get to hospital. A memorable moment of the weirder degree was an own goal byHusqvarna IF in the final minutes – 1958. Elfsborg played againstHusqvarna IF and it is 0–1 with ten minutes left. A Husqvarna player receives the ball just outside his own penalty area. He then shoots, hard and accurate an untakeable shot into his own goal. No one understands why, and the match ends 1–1. In the newspaper the day after he explains that he was so tired that he did not know which side of the pitch he had found himself.[33]
25 October 2004 would be a historic game before kickoff. Elfsborg metHammarby and that was the last game ever at Ryavallen. The arena had become too old after 63 years of service. In 2005 Elfsborg moved to its new modern arena,Borås Arena, and ryavallen was converted completely to only fit forathletics. Even so, did Ryavallen reach the highest attendance record in history of Elfsborg, IF Elfsborg –IFK Norrköping – 1961. Record Audience 21,854 in this historic match. Elfsborg won the match with 3–0. After Ryavallen inaugurated in 1941 by Crown PrinceGustav Adolf V[34] and Elfsborg struck as the onlyAllsvenskan team in the historySweden men's national football team in the inaugural match by 2–1. That also completed a 63-year history in the last match against Hammarby with a win.[35]
Borås Arena is a football stadium inBorås, Sweden. It is the home ground of IF Elfsborg andNorrby IF and was opened on 17 April 2005. Borås Arena has anartificial turf pitch, and was changed to the most modern synthetic turf on the market during theUEFA Euro 2012[36] at a cost of £500 000. The capacity of the arena is 14,500–17,800 depending on usage, 14,800 is mostly the capacity during international matches, becauseUefa would not approve the installation of seats on the standing because of fire risk which means a lower capacity is needed to be approved by Uefa. Borås Arena is located next to Elfsborgs old homegroundRyavallen, both of the stadiums are built together at the roofs, which means that the new stadium is still attached to the old historical Ryavallen.[37]
The first construction started on 31 December 2003 and was inaugurated 17 April 2005 at a cost of £1,120 000 . Which was very cheap at this time considering to be Sweden's most modern stadium at that time. It was an effort byBorås Municipality that went out as a lender to Elfsborg. A necessary investment for the club and the city, Elfsborg would own their own stadium by the companyBorås Arena AB and would receive all revenues without any intermediaries from matches. Borås Arena didn't only open a new era for IF Elfsborg but also for other clubs inAllsvenskan, Elfsborg was the first club to build a new arena owned by their owninvestment company. Many other clubs have built new arenas copying the model Elfsborg set up, trying to own their arena which gives big economic resources. Borås Arena consists of four main grandstands; Knallelandsläktaren, Ålgårdsläktaren, Sjuhäradsläktaren and Elfsborgsläktaren.[38]
The first game at Borås Arena was between IF Elfsborg vsÖrgryte IS on 17 April 2005 in the top Swedish league,Allsvenskan. The game ended in a 1–0 victory for Elfsborg,Daniel Mobaeck scoring the only and first goal in history on Borås Arena. The current record attendance is 17,070 and was set 4 July 2005 in a game between IF Elfsborg andKalmar FF which marked the return of bothAnders Svensson andMathias Svensson. Anders Svensson also became the first on Borås Arena to score a hat-trick in the derby against rivalsIFK Göteborg, Elfsborg won with Anders 3 goals, 3–1. The highest attendance on an international tournament was during theChampions League play-off againstValencia CF where 13,148 spectators came to see Elfsborg deal with theSpaniards. Elfsborg lost with 2–1, after a goal byDaniel Alexandersson.[39]
The stadium was originally scheduled to be a tournament site for the2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, but asponsorship conflict withMax fast food chain's location at the stadium and official UEFA sponsorMcDonald's, plus a contractual requirement for official sponsors to have a monopoly over the stadium's area, and a refusal to close the restaurant led to it losing its status as a site for the tournament. A strange conflict that led to Elfsborg and Borås Arena lost the championship as an arranger.[40]
2006[41] was the highlight in Borås Arenas young history. The year when Elfsborg received dividends on their great effort by salvaging the club's 5thSM-Gold. An explicit goal from the club was to winSM-Gold by 2007 and this was accomplished a year in advance, 5 November 2006. The association was strengthened at all levels for a couple of years, not least organizationally and financially, with new sports director "Mr.Elfsborg" Stefan Andreasson, President-elect Bosse "Bank" Johansson and two billionaires as external funders. The new highly skilled (and young) manager coupleMagnus Haglund and Peter Wettergren, who was employed before the 2004 season, was also of course in the club's big bet. The following year (2005) was also "Elfsborg Fortress", Borås Arena, completed while enlisted old heroes in the form ofAnders andMathias Svensson came back. Memorable matches this season on Borås Arena was at home the victory againstMalmö FF (4–2), which many described as the best in the season and whereAnders Svensson made the team's single best effort during the season. Another memorable match was the last and crucial one. Gold match at a packed Borås Arena againstDjurgårdens IF whereJoakim Sjöhage became gold shooter with the only goal which meant that over 40 years of waiting was over for the Elfsborgs fans.[42][43]
Already in the 1940s[44] there was the legendaryElfsborg chant"heja di våra, inte di dära, trampa di främmatta pöjka på tära" onRyavallen, at the time, including of a certain youngIngvar Carlsson,[45] who later became prime minister. For a few years in the 1970s"Di Gule" played fantastic football and was in top contest of the SwedishAllsvenskan. At this time the British supporter culture retrieved from "Tipsextra" began to interfere and influence in Swedishfootball culture, with an impact even on Ryavallen inBorås, where the seating stand for many years was the busiest around Ryavallen and Elfsborg. A youngsupporter section was formed later on within Elfsborgs fanclub and the culture of being on the standing ground began to arise all along with the contemporary characteristic hat and striped scarf in Elfsborgs colours yellow and black. In the coming years, there was a small and disorganized supporter group who failed to make a big fuss.[46]
1991[47] underwent IF Elfsborg the club's probably heaviest period ever, the economy and the results weighted during the period inSöderettan. 21 November 1991, however, formed a collection of young men, a supporter compound that would become a familiar concept not only inBorås, but throughout Sweden:Guliganerna. Despite continued play inSöderettan and low public interest in all of Sweden the supporter group,Guliganerna, continued to grow. 1990s guliganer became not known for their quantity but for their faithfulness, to always be there wherever IF Elfsborg played.[48] After the fan bus arrived late for an away game at some point in the mid-1990s, the players looked nervous on the stand and was worried that something happened, after this incident the players had the supporters promise to not be late for the games so as not to disturb the players focus.[49]
In 1997, was IF Elfsborg back in the top tier ofSwedish football and that also meant an upturn forGuliganerna, in −97 was the first ElfsborgTifo group founded,TGD (Tifosi Guligan Divisione),[50] who had a few tifos before the members quit for various reasons in 1999, mainly because they had no financial backing. Year 2000 became the starting year of the great generation change that occurred in Elfsborgs supporterlines until now, a group of young boys founded the current tifo group,GTS (Guligan Tifo Support),[51] and a more youthful profile became clear among Elfsborgs supporter sections.
2006 was 45-years of waiting over. The club had wonnational championship which also meant an increased interest aroundElfsborg. In 2011 Guliganerna had their 20th anniversary celebrated, the tribute was made in connection with the game againstKalmar FF, the players wore specially made anniversary T-shirts and GTS arranged the most expensivetifo ever in the history of the club.[52] Guliganerna also broke during the same year, a new member record of 1155 people, making Guliganerna Sweden fifth largest fan base in the 2011.[53]
Elfsborgs main antagonist and rivalry is pointed againstIFK Göteborg and has been so since all the way back in the 1920s. The geographical position between the cities makes it Elfsborgs only and closestderby also called"El Västico",[54] which also reflects the attendance figures since it is almost always sold out in these games.
Guliganerna and Peking Fanz (supporters ofIFK Norrköping) however has a completely own history among Swedish supporters, a history that stands as a thorn in the eyes of other supporter organizations in Sweden. This friendship is based on that Guliganerna in the 1990s invited visiting supporters before the match, Peking Fanz invited back several times and the friendship was born.[55] Since this friendship was born, both supporter bases now often follow each other's games, which makes Guliganerna and Peking Fanz unique. Especially between Elfsborgs onlyultras groupYellow Fanatics, there are strong links with theIFK Norrköping, Peking ultras.[56]
Elfsborgs tenure inEuropean football began in 1961 after winningnational championship. The same year they qualified to the currentUEFA Intertoto Cup.[58] Elfsborg first resistance ever in aEuropean Cup was against the GermanSC Tasmania 1900 Berlin, which they won with 2–3 away and a stunning 5–2 at home. The second match was against the classic Swiss teamFC Basel, which began with a 1–2 loss at home but Elfsborg gathered forces and won in the returning game with 3–6 after a hat-trick by Henry Larsson. The last and final match was against the hard to beatSparta Rotterdam who before they faced Elfsborg had not lost a single game, the Dutch proved to be too difficult, it ended in a 2–5 loss at home and 4–3 away loss.[59] But despite the loss Elfsborg ended as runners-up being the second team in the group and the tournament's big winner was Henry Larsson with his 8 goals and Lars Råberg with 6 his goals.[60] Five years later, in 1966,[61] Elfsborg continued their adventures in Europe and theUEFA Intertoto Cup. The first opponent was the German teamBorussia Neunkirchen, a match which Elfsborg won both home and away with a total of 4–1. The second match againstVSS Košice became a very different story, they lost 3–0 away and then crushed the opponents with 6–0 at home, after a hat-trick by Roger Carlsson. In the final group stage match against leadersVorwärts Berlin was lost with 2–0 in both matches which meant that Elfsborg finally ended as third in the group.[61]
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The following year, 1967[62] Elfsborg played in theUEFA Intertoto Cup where they in the first group stage match met the German teamWerder Bremen. The first match ended in a 4–1 loss away, but the second game ended with a draw 2–2 at home. In the second game, the Polish teamPolonia Bytom were the adversaries, where Elfsborg lost in both matches. But in the last match against the SwissGrasshopper Club Zürich Elfsborg would take a memorable scalp, when they beat them at home with 5–2 after a hat-trick by Lars Heinemann. The return ended in a 3–1 loss and Elfsborg finished again in third place in the group.[62] 1971[63] was an unsuccessful year in the European competitions for Elfsborg, they met the teamsStal Mielec,Tatran Prešov andVejle BK. They lost every game except against the DanishVejle BK where they won both games with a total of 8–0, and once again Elfsborg ended as third in their group.[63] In 1972,[64] Elfsborg played in theUEFA Cup for the first time, playing against the classic German championsHertha Berlin in the first round. They lost with 3–1 atOlympic Stadium and with 1–4 at home.[65]
1975[66] was Elfsborg's worst performing year in European competition and theUEFA Intertoto Cup when they finished last in the group after having met teams asBaník Ostrava,Celik Zenica andVitoria Setúbal. Elfsborg still won at home against Baník Ostrava with 3–1 at home and a tie against Vitoria Setúbal.[66] In 1978,[67] Elfsborg participated once again in theUEFA Intertoto Cup and this year was slightly better than the last in 1975, Elfsborg won with a total of 5–3 against NorwegianLillestrøm SK, and then a win against formerYugoslavSloboda Tuzla. But Elfsborg could not compete with the giant IsraeliMaccabi Netanya F.C., and lost the first game with 7–1 away but managed a 2–2[67] draw at home. In 1978[68] Elfsborg were in theUEFA Cup for the second time when they stood against the French sovereignsRC Strasbourg. In the first meeting, Elfsborg surprisingly won 2–0 at home, but in the returning game they lost 4–1 in front of 31 000 spectators.[69]
1980,[70] became Elfsborg best year ever in theUEFA Intertoto Cup when they won their group and became the winner of the tournament. This after they first won againstFK Napredak Kruševac with a total of 4–2 and then againstSlavia Sofia with a total of 3–1. GermanVfL Bochum became more difficult when the loss in the first meeting with 2–1 and then changed with a win at home 1–0, this meant that Elfsborg ended up as number one in their group.[71] The following year, 1981,[72] did Elfsborg participate in theUEFA Cup where they faced ScottishSt Mirren F.C. The first match ended in a 1–2 loss at home who then followed up with a draw 0–0 inScotland.[73] 1983[74] Elfsborg would make their penultimate appearance in theUEFA Intertoto Cup, when they stood against the teamsTJ Vitkovice,Trakia Plovdiv andEintracht Braunschweig. It was a bad adventure where they only won against GermanEintracht Braunschweig with 1–0 at home and play a draw againstTrakia Plovdiv, this meant that Elfsborg finished as last in their group.[75] Despite the poor performance 1983, they reached theUEFA Cup, 1984,[76] where the opponents was Polish teamWidzew Łódź, before 30 000 spectators played Elfsborg a draw away against thePoles, 0–0, also at home playing a heroic game with a draw 2–2 and but thePoles advanced furthermore, after more away goals.[77]
It would take almost 20 years beforeElfsborg would participate in the European[78] cups again, after the heaviest period in the club's history Elfsborg was now back at the top layer ofAllsvenskan and participated in theUEFA Cup in 2001 after they won thenational cup. They stood againstJK Trans Narva in the first round, where they won with 1–3 away and then also won with 5–0 at home after a hat-trick byStefan Andreasson. The second round was against one of the Polish giantsLegia Warsaw where Elfsborg lost with a total of 10–2.[79] After winningnational cup once again, Elfsborg participated in theUEFA Cup in 2004[80] where the opponents in the first round wasGlentoran F.C. who were beaten with a total of 3–1, in the next round Elfsborg stood against Croatian teamNK Dinamo Zagreb, Elfsborg lost the first game away with 2–0 and then played a draw at home 0–0.[81] After winningnational championship in 2006 got Elfsborg for the first time participate in theUEFA Champions League.[82] This occurred in 2007 when the first round was againstLinfield FC where Elfsborg in the first match played a draw 0–0. To then win at home with 1–0 after a goal byMathias Svensson. The second round was against HungarianDebreceni VSC where they won away with 1–0 after a goal byDaniel Mobaeck.[83] They secured promotion to the third round by playing 0–0 at home. The third round was against Spanish giantsValencia CF, where 50 000 spectators at theMestalla Stadium saw Elfsborg lose with 3–0 after including goal byDavid Silva. Back atBorås Arena Elfsborg lost again with 2–1 after goals byDaniel Alexandersson andDavid Villa with Valencia's decisive 2–1 goal.[84]
After the excellent results in theUEFA Champions League became Elfsborg directly qualified for the2007–08 UEFA Cup[86] group stage where they stood against the teamsFC Dinamo București,AEK Athens,ACF Fiorentina,FK Mladá Boleslav andVillarreal CF. Elfsborg won againstFC Dinamo București with 2–1 and a draw againstAEK Athens, 1–1.[87] The following year 2008[88] achieved Elfsborg for the last time winning theUEFA Intertoto Cup by beating teamsHB Tórshavn with a total of 2–1,Hibernian FC with a total of 4–0 andFK Riga with a total of 1–0. Which meant that they finished as group winners.[89] That same year they also playedUEFA Cup last time2008–09 UEFA Cup[90] when it was against the IrishSt Patrick's Athletic F.C. but lost surprisingly with a total of 4–3.[91] In 2009[92] Elfsborg started for the first time playing in theUEFA Europa League where they in the second round stood againstSzombathelyi Haladás as they were defeated with a total of 3–0. In the third round was against Portuguese2010–11 UEFA Europa League finalistsS.C. Braga, as they beat them after a completely win by a total of 4–1.[93] In the final play-off round Elfsborg stood against classicS.S. Lazio where they in the first meeting lost with 3–0 and then again after a heroic effort won with 1–0 after a goal byDenni Avdic.[94]
Also the year after 2010[95] played Elfsborg in theUEFA Europa League where they stood againstFC Iskra-Stal in the second round and won with the total of 3–1. The third round was againstFK Teteks fromMacedonia, a team that Elfsborg won easily against with a total of 7–1. The play-off round was once again against one of the classic Italian teams againstMaradona's old clubSSC Napoli. Elfsborg succeeded after a heroic performance by goalkeeperJesper Christiansen to get away from theStadio San Paolo with a 1–0 loss. Back at theBorås Arena Elfsborg lost anyway with 2–0 after two goals byEdinson Cavani who got his big breakthrough in this match.[96] In 2011[97] Elfsborg played in theUEFA Europa League for the third consecutive year, and stood againstCS Fola Esch in the first round which they won with a total of 5–1. The second round was againstFK Suduva where they won easily with a total of 4–1. But in the third round Elfsborg lost surprisingly against the NorwegianAalesunds FK with a total of 5–1 and failed to reach the play-offs.[98] The same thing happened the year after in 2012. Even if Elfsborg had a perfect start in the qualification by winning a home game in the first stage againstFloriana F.C. with 8–0, the biggest international victory in Elfsborgs history. The away game was just as easy, Elfsborg won with 5–0 and with a total of 13–0.[99] In the second stage were the opponentsFC Dacia Chişinău and Elfsborg lost the first game after a weak effort with 1–0. But won easy atBorås Arena with 2–0 and therefore advanced to the third stage.[100] In the third stage it would be a Scandinavian battle, since the opponents were DanishAC Horsens. The first away game ended with a draw, 1–1, after Horsens received a penalty in stoppage time. But in their home game Elfsborg lost 2–3 and history was repeated from the previous year, Elfsborg failed once again to reach the play-offs.[101]
(As of 22 June 2015)
| Competition | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champions League | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 7 |
| UEFA Cup /Europa League | 116 | 47 | 21 | 48 | 177 | 160 |
A = appearances, GP = games played, W = won, D = drawn, L = lost, GF = goals for, GA = goals against.
(As of 23 January 2025)
| Rank | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 306 |  FK Liepāja | 4.000 |
| 307 |  St Joseph's | 4.000 |
| 308 |  Vikingur Reykjavik | 4.000 |
| 309 |  IF Elfsborg | 4.000 |
| 310 |  Dila | 4.000 |
| 311 |  FC Santa Coloma | 4.000 |
| 312 | Kalmar | 4.000 |
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
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This list of notable players includes those who received international caps for the Sweden men's national football team, made significant contributions to the team in terms of appearances or goals while playing for the team, or who made significant contributions to the sport either before they played for the team, or after they left.[105][106]
The players are all listed according to when they debuted for IF Elfsborg:
Player included in the Swedish footballHall of fame.[107]| Name | Pos | IF Elfsborg career[108] | Apps[109] | Goals[110] | Honours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sven Jonasson | FW | 1927–47 | 409 | 252 | 3Swedish Championships,Hall of fame |
| Åke Samuelsson | MF | 1930–41 | 214 | 76 | 3Swedish Championships |
| Karl-Erik Grahn | MF | 1932–49 | 346 | 57 | 3Swedish Championships |
| Gillis Andersson | FW | 1933–43 | 184 | 67 | 3Swedish Championships |
| Arvid Emanuelsson | MF | 1933–47 | 270 | 12 | 3Swedish Championships |
| Knut Johansson | FW | 1936–44 | 125 | 92 | 2Swedish Championships |
| Evert Grahn | FW | 1940–46, 1949–52 | 154 | 55 | 1Swedish Championships |
| Henry Larsson | MF | 1952–54, 1961–68 | 217 | 80 | 1Swedish Championships |
| Ove Grahn | FW | 1961–65 | 91 | 62 | 1Swedish Championships |
| Leif Målberg | DF | 1965–71, 1973–80 | 337 | 8 | 337 games for IF Elfsborg |
| Göran Ahlström | DF | 1969–71, 1973–81 | 258 | 10 | 258 games for IF Elfsborg |
| Leif Gustafsson | DF | 1970–71, 1973–82, 1984 | 276 | 3 | 276 games for IF Elfsborg |
| Thomas Ahlström | FW | 1971, 1973–79, 1982–84 | 237 | 101 | 101 goals for IF Elfsborg |
| Thomas Johansson | MF | 1973–83 | 276 | 19 | 276 games for IF Elfsborg |
| Tobias Linderoth | MF | 1997–98 | 47 | 4 | 76 games forSweden national team |
| Fredrik Berglund | FW | 1997–01, 2003, 2007–08, 2010 | 166 | 54 | 2Svenska Cupen |
| Anders Svensson | MF | 1997–01, 2005–2015 | 290 | 58 | 2Swedish Championships,1Svenska Cupen, 1Supercupen |
| Johan Karlsson | DF | 2001–11 | 263 | 7 | 1Swedish Championships, 2Svenska Cupen, 1Supercupen |
| Teddy Lučić | DF | 2008–10 | 68 | 3 | 86 games forSweden national team |
| Role | Name | Nation |
|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Bo Johansson | |
| Director | Stefan Andreasson | |
| Role | Name | Nation |
|---|---|---|
| Manager | Oscar Hiljemark | |
| Assistant manager | Emir Bajrami | |
| Assistant manager / Fitness | Miguel Beas |  |
| Fitness | Dan Fransson | |
| Goalkeeping coach | Linus Eriksson | |
| Scout | Anders Svensson | |
| U21 Coach | Tobias Linderoth | |
| Fitness coach | Victor Stoltz | |
| Physiotherapist | Jan Andblad | |
| Physiotherapist | Johan Meldo | |
| Club doctor | Matilda Lundblad | |
| Kit manager | Stefan Ågren | |
| Kit manager | Reima Haukka | |
| Football administrator | Martin Andersson | |
| Role | Name | Nation |
|---|---|---|
| U21 and U19 team manager | Janne Mian | |
| U21 and U19 team manager | Sanel Duzel | |
| U17 and U16 team manager | Tony Lundqvist | |
| U17 and U16 team manager | Kjell Antonsson | |
| U15 team manager | Joakim Alexandersson | |
| U15 team manager | Kari Mäkelä | |
| Head of youth development | Tony Lundqvist | |
Listed according to when they became managers for IF Elfsborg:[114]
|
The managers are listed according to when they were first appointed manager for IF Elfsborg:[114][115]
| Name | Nat | Years | Honours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carl Larsson | | 1916–1925 1926–1930 1930–1938 | 21 years in total. |
| Carl Larsson & Thure Claesson | | 1930–1938 | 1Swedish Championship |
| Sven Zachrisson | | 1938–1946 1959–1960 | 2Swedish Championship |
| Karl-Erik Grahn | | 1949–1952 1961–1962 | 1Swedish Championship |
| Thure Nygren | | 1957–1958 1963–1967 1970–1972 | 7 years in total. |
| Rolf Svensson | | 1977–1982 | 5 years in total. |
| Bengt-Arne Strömberg | | 1999–2001 | 1Svenska Cupen |
| Anders Grönhagen | | 2002–2003 | 1Svenska Cupen |
| Magnus Haglund | | 2004–2011 | 1Swedish Championship 1Svenska Supercupen 1The Atlantic Cup |
| Jörgen Lennartsson | | 2012–2013 | 1Swedish Championship |
| Klas Ingesson | | 2013–2014 | 1Svenska Cupen |
In 2024Elfsborg played their 81st season inAllsvenskan from its inception in 1924 up to and including the 2024 season. This placing them on a 5th place of those teams who have participated in total seasons. They have also played top-flight football continually in Sweden since 1997, which currently is the 3rd longest top-flight tenure of any club in Sweden—the longest one isIFK Göteborg, since 1977.[124]
The club is currently placed 5th in theall-time Allsvenskan table, "maratontabellen" in Swedish, which is a cumulative record of all match results, points, and goals of every team that has played in Allsvenskan since its inception in 1924–25.[125] Furthermore, Elfsborg is placed 6th in the all-time medal table, with a total of 24 medals of different value – the most recent was received in 2012.[126]
The player in IF Elfsborg who holds most club and national records isSven Jonasson. In 409 games, most appearances ever in Elfsborg, he scored a total of 252 goals in Allsvenskan, which makes it an all-time record.[127] He played in Elfsborg throughout his career, which started in 1927 and ended 1947, a total of 20 years. What's more, the most remarkable achievement is his unbreakable record of 344 games in consecutive. A record that was broken in a most unfortunate way, he missed his first game in 14 years because of failure to receive furlough during his military service.[128] He was also the first goalscorer ever for theSweden men's national football team in aworldcup. It was in the1934 FIFA World Cup, where he scored two goals in Sweden's 3–2 victory againstArgentina.[129]
Sven JonassonSven Jonasson*Anders Svensson*Sven Jonasson, 1927–41*Allsvenskan all-time record.[131][132][133][134][135]
IF Elfsborg top ten most goal scorers and appearances.[132][136]
League,Allsvenskan
| # | Name | Nation | Career | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sven Jonasson | Sweden | 1927–47 | 252 |
| 2 | Thomas Ahlström | Sweden | 1971, 1973–79, 1982–84 | 101 |
| 3 | Knut Johansson | Sweden | 1936–44 | 92 |
| 4 | Henry Larsson | Sweden | 1952–54, 1961–68 | 80 |
| 5 | Åke Samuelsson | Sweden | 1930–41 | 76 |
| 6 | Gillis Andersson | Sweden | 1933–43 | 67 |
| 7 | Ove Grahn | Sweden | 1961–65 | 62 |
| 8 | Karl-Erik Grahn | Sweden | 1932–49 | 57 |
| 9 | Anders Svensson | Sweden | 1997–01, 2005–2015 | 56 |
| 10 | Fredrik Berglund | Sweden | 1997–01, −03, 2007–08, −10 | 54 |
League,Allsvenskan
| # | Name | Nation | Career | Appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sven Jonasson | Sweden | 1927–47 | 409 |
| 2 | Karl-Erik Grahn | Sweden | 1932–49 | 346 |
| 3 | Leif Målberg | Sweden | 1965–71, 1973–80 | 337 |
| 4 | Anders Svensson | Sweden | 1997–01, 2005–2015 | 289 |
| 5 | Leif Gustafsson | Sweden | 1970–71, 1973–82, −84 | 276 |
| 6 | Thomas Johansson | Sweden | 1973–83 | 276 |
| 7 | Arvid Samuelsson | Sweden | 1933–47 | 270 |
| 8 | Johan Karlsson | Sweden | 2001–11 | 263 |
| 9 | Göran Ahlström | Sweden | 1969–71, 1973–81 | 258 |
| 10 | Thomas Ahlström | Sweden | 1971, 1973–79, 1982–84 | 237 |
