27.09.2025 11:01
The fishing village of Hallevik, with a population of 800 on the coast of the Baltic Sea in Sweden, is witnessing one of the most extraordinary stories in European football history. The village's team, Mjallby, is maintaining its lead in the country's top league, Allsvenskan, with six weeks remaining in the season and is racing towards the championship.
The football team Mjallby from the fishing village of Hallevik in Sweden, which has a population of 800, is preparing to write one of the most remarkable success stories in European football history.
With a squad made up of local players, a school principal as the head coach, the club is on the verge of achieving a championship that is rarely seen in football history. Mjallby, having lost only one match this season, is also close to breaking the highest points record in the league's 101-year history.
With a squad mostly consisting of local players, a head coach who is a school principal, and a postman as a scout, this team was on the brink of relegation to the fourth league nine years ago.
“THEY CALLED US 'VILLAGERS'”
Sporting director Hasse Larsson stated in an interview with The Guardian last month that he worked for three years without a salary when the club hit rock bottom financially in 2016. Larsson recounted those tough days, saying, “We started from scratch and had to find people to support us.” Having overcome a brain tumor and prostate cancer, Larsson added, “It was tough, but I was 100% determined to return to my family and football. I will fight until the end.”
Head coach Anders Torstensson noted that fans of big city teams referred to them as "villagers," saying, “Maybe they underestimated us for a few years. But now I can say that everyone is really impressed. We embrace David's fight against Goliath. We take pride in being a small club and region. That’s what keeps us going.”
Mjallby has a much lower budget compared to the giant clubs. Its squad is largely made up of local players, with head coach Anders Torstensson being a school principal and one of the scouts being a postman. Despite all these modest conditions, the yellow-black team has only lost once this season and is on track to break the points record in the league's 101-year history.
THE RISE OF THE "VILLAGERS"
The club, which was on the brink of relegation to the fourth league nine years ago, has become a symbol of determination and faith. Sporting director Hasse Larsson said that when the club faced a financial crisis in 2016, he worked for three years without a salary. Having also overcome cancer, Larsson summarized their story by saying, “We started from scratch. We had to find people to support us. It was tough, but I was 100% determined to return to my family and football. I will fight until the end.”
DAVID'S FIGHT AGAINST GOLIATH
Head coach Torstensson mentioned that fans from big cities called them "villagers," stating that they used this situation as a source of motivation:
“Maybe they underestimated us for a few years. But now I can say that everyone is really impressed. We embrace David's fight against Goliath. We take pride in being a small club and region. That’s what keeps us going.”
A FAIRY TALE IN EUROPEAN FOOTBALL
With six weeks left in the season, Mjallby has an eight-point lead over its closest rival, advancing confidently on the path to the championship. This success story emerging from a humble fishing village is preparing to go down in European football history as a modern fairy tale.