IF Elfsborg facts for kids
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| Full name | Idrottsföreningen Elfsborg | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Di Gule (The Yellow Ones) Eleganterna (The Elegants) |
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| Founded | 26 June 1904 (as Borås Fotbollslag) | |||
| Ground | Borås Arena, Borås | |||
| Capacity | 16,200 | |||
| Chairman | Sune Lundqvist | |||
| Manager | Oscar Hiljemark | |||
| League | Allsvenskan | |||
| 2024 | Allsvenskan, 7th of 16 | |||
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IF Elfsborg is a professional football club from Borås, Sweden. They are often called Di Gule (The Yellow Ones) or Eleganterna (The Elegants). The club plays in the top Swedish league, Allsvenskan, and has spent most of its history there. Their home stadium is Borås Arena, which they moved into in 2005.
IF Elfsborg was started on June 26, 1904, by 19 teenagers, all around 14 or 15 years old. It was first named Borås Fotbollslag. Carl Larson, a key founder, wanted a football club because the main sports club in Borås didn't offer football.
In 1906, the name was changed to IF Elfsborg. This was because there were too many clubs with "Borås" in their name. The name "Elfsborg" comes from Älvsborg County, using an older spelling. The club's yellow and black colors come from the Älvsborg Regiment. This meant Elfsborg would represent a whole region, not just a city. Their motto is "Vi Tillsammans" (We together).
Their home stadium, Borås Arena, is known as Elfsborg Fortress. This is because Elfsborg has been one of the strongest home teams in the Allsvenskan during the 2000s. Elfsborg is one of only two teams to win the Allsvenskan as newcomers, which they did in 1961. They have won six national championships, with the most recent in 2012. They have also won three national cups.
Contents
Club History and Achievements
IF Elfsborg started as Borås Fotbollslag in 1904. The name changed to IF Elfsborg in 1906. In 1926, Elfsborg joined the top league, Allsvenskan, for the first time.
During the 1930s, Elfsborg became a very strong team. They had a great striker named Sven Jonasson. He played in the 1934 and 1938 World Cups. Elfsborg won the Allsvenskan for the first time in 1936. They won two more titles in 1939 and 1940. At this time, seven Elfsborg players were on the Swedish national team.
The club also had a bandy team for many years. They won the Västergötland bandy district championship several times.
In 1941, Elfsborg moved to a new stadium called Ryavallen. The first game there was supposed to be Sweden vs. Finland. But Finland couldn't play because of World War II. So, Elfsborg played Sweden instead and won 2–1!
In the mid-1940s, Elfsborg almost won the Allsvenskan again. They finished second three years in a row. But by the late 1940s, their success slowed down. They were relegated from the top league in 1954.
In 1960, Elfsborg won promotion back to the Allsvenskan. They had an amazing season, winning 20 out of 22 games. In 1961, they won the Allsvenskan for the fourth time. They were the first Swedish team to go straight from the second league to becoming champions.
In 1977, Elfsborg finished second in the league. But the years after that were tough. They finished last in 1987 and didn't return to the top league until 1997. The team that won promotion included future Swedish stars like Anders Svensson and Tobias Linderoth. Even though Elfsborg won their first two national cups in 2001 and 2003, they struggled to stay in the Allsvenskan.
In 2005, Elfsborg invested a lot in building Borås Arena. They also brought back former players. These efforts paid off. In 2006, they won their fifth championship. This was their first Allsvenskan title in 41 years!
The next year, Elfsborg played in the Champions League qualifying stage for the first time. They later reached the group stage of the UEFA Cup in 2007. They also won the 2008 UEFA Intertoto Cup.
Under coach Magnus Haglund, Elfsborg became a top club in Swedish football. They aimed to finish in the top four every year to qualify for European competitions. In 2007, they finished 4th and played in the Intertoto Cup.
In 2008, Elfsborg almost won the league title again. But injuries to key players like Anders Svensson and Stefan Ishizaki cost them. They finished second behind Kalmar FF.
In 2009, Elfsborg again aimed for European football. They beat Hungarian and Portuguese teams. But they lost in the final qualifying round to S.S. Lazio. Elfsborg was a favorite to win the 2009 Allsvenskan. However, they finished third.
The 2010 season started slowly for Elfsborg. They finished fourth in the league. In European football, they reached the play-off round of the Europa League. They faced SSC Napoli and lost. Many players moved in and out of the club that year.
In 2011, Elfsborg tried a new counter-attacking style of play. They had a strong first half of the season. Young winger Niklas Hult was a standout player. In the Europa League, they easily won their first two qualifying rounds. But they surprisingly lost in the third round.
Team Colors and Crest
Since the club started, Elfsborg has worn yellow and black. These colors come from Älvsborg County and the Älvsborg Regiment flag. So, they played in yellow shirts and black shorts.
For many years, their shirts were plain yellow and black. In the 1940s, clubs started putting their badges on shirts. Elfsborg added the classic black "Elfsborg" text in italics on the chest. This stayed until 2007.
Since 2007, the club uses its official emblem on the shirts. This emblem comes from the 1970s. It's a yellow and black crown with "Elfsborg" written in it and a football on top. The change was to help the club's brand become more recognizable.
Elfsborg's reserve kit is red. This is a tribute to a 1941 match against the Swedish national team. The match was for the opening of their new stadium, Ryavallen. Elfsborg's yellow kit was the same color as Sweden's. So, they borrowed a red and white kit. Elfsborg won 2–1, and the red kit became special. Red and white are also the colors of Borås. Elfsborg is the only team in Allsvenskan history to beat the Swedish national team.
Club Sponsors
For a long time, Elfsborg didn't have a main shirt sponsor. In the early 1990s, when the club was struggling, Olle Blomqvist, CEO of Ellos, helped them. Ellos became a major sponsor, saving the club. People even joked and called the team "Ellos."
In 2010, Elfsborg was ranked second best in Allsvenskan for getting sponsorship money. They also set a record for local sponsorships, increasing their money from 28 to 33 million SEK.
More recently, Elfsborg signed a contract with Umbro. Umbro provides their soccer shoes and clothes. Umbro's sponsorship was so strong that a part of Borås Arena was named "umbrocorner." This partnership helps the club financially.
Home Stadiums
One of Elfsborg's first home grounds was a small grass pitch in Folkparken. But they soon needed more space. They practiced and played in Fristad. Later, they moved to Apotekarnas Mosse, which became Ramnavallen.
Ramnavallen was finished in 1922. It was a very modern stadium for its time, holding 2,700 fans. The local newspaper praised it as impressive. Elfsborg played their first Allsvenskan match there in 1926. The record attendance at Ramnavallen was 16,348 fans in 1936. This was for the game that led to Elfsborg's first league title. Elfsborg played at Ramnavallen until 1941, winning three league titles there.
Ryavallen: A Historic Ground
Ryavallen opened in 1941. It became Elfsborg's new home and Borås's first major sports stadium. It had a track for athletics around the pitch. Before 2005, it could hold 19,400 people. Today, it holds about 7,000. Ryavallen was updated in 2012 for athletics. It is now only used for track and field, not football.
Ryavallen hosted matches during the 1958 FIFA World Cup. This included games between the USSR and Austria, and England and Austria. Sweden reached the final of this World Cup, finishing second.
A very memorable moment at Ryavallen was the 1961 gold-winning game against Örgryte IS. Elfsborg drew 1–1, becoming the first team to win the Allsvenskan right after being promoted from Division 2. This was their fourth league gold. Another memorable event was when a grandstand collapsed in 1979 due to too many fans. Ten people had to go to the hospital.
On October 25, 2004, Elfsborg played their last game at Ryavallen. The stadium was 63 years old. In 2005, Elfsborg moved to the new Borås Arena. Ryavallen's highest attendance record was 21,854 fans in 1961, when Elfsborg beat IFK Norrköping 3–0.
Borås Arena: The Modern Fortress
Borås Arena is Elfsborg's current home stadium in Borås. It opened on April 17, 2005. It has an artificial turf pitch, which was updated in 2012. The stadium can hold between 14,500 and 17,800 fans. For international matches, the capacity is usually 14,800.
Construction started in 2003 and cost about £1.12 million. This was quite cheap for such a modern stadium at the time. The city of Borås helped Elfsborg with a loan. Elfsborg owns the stadium through a company called Borås Arena AB. This means they get all the money from matches. Elfsborg was the first club in Sweden to build and own its own modern stadium. Many other clubs have copied this model.
Borås Arena has four main stands: Knallelandsläktaren, Ålgårdsläktaren, Sjuhäradsläktaren, and Elfsborgsläktaren.
The first game at Borås Arena was on April 17, 2005, between IF Elfsborg and Örgryte IS. Elfsborg won 1–0, with Daniel Mobaeck scoring the first goal. The record attendance is 17,070 fans, set on July 4, 2005. This game marked the return of players Anders Svensson and Mathias Svensson.
In 2006, Borås Arena saw Elfsborg win their fifth national championship. This was a huge moment for the club and its fans. A memorable match that season was the 4–2 home win against Malmö FF. The final game of the season, where Elfsborg won the gold against Djurgårdens IF, was played in a packed Borås Arena. Joakim Sjöhage scored the winning goal, ending a 40-year wait for the fans.
Passionate Supporters
Even in the 1940s, Elfsborg had famous chants at Ryavallen. One young fan was Ingvar Carlsson, who later became Sweden's prime minister! In the 1970s, British fan culture started to influence Swedish football. Fans began wearing hats and striped scarves in Elfsborg's yellow and black colors.
Guliganerna: The Loyal Fan Club
In 1991, during a tough time for IF Elfsborg, a group of young men formed a supporter club called Guliganerna. Even when the team was struggling, the Guliganerna kept growing. They became known for their loyalty, always following Elfsborg wherever they played. The players even asked them not to be late for away games because it made them nervous!
In 1997, Elfsborg returned to the top league, which boosted the Guliganerna. The first Elfsborg Tifo group, TGD, was formed. Later, in 2000, a new tifo group, GTS (Guligan Tifo Support), started. This brought a younger feel to the fan sections.
In 2006, Elfsborg won the national championship after 45 years. This made even more people interested in the club. In 2011, Guliganerna celebrated their 20th anniversary. They had a special tifo display, the most expensive in the club's history. Guliganerna also reached a new record of 1,155 members, making them Sweden's fifth-largest fan base in 2011.
Elfsborg's biggest rival is IFK Göteborg. Their matches are called "El Västico" because of the short distance between the cities. These games are almost always sold out.
The Guliganerna also have a unique friendship with Peking Fanz, the supporters of IFK Norrköping. This friendship started in the 1990s when Guliganerna invited visiting fans before matches. Now, both fan groups often attend each other's games. This is very special in Swedish football.
European Football Adventures
Elfsborg started playing in European competitions in 1961 after winning the national championship. Their first European match was against German team SC Tasmania 1900 Berlin, which they won. They also played against Swiss team FC Basel. In their first European tournament, Henry Larsson scored 8 goals, making him a top scorer.
Elfsborg continued to play in the UEFA Intertoto Cup in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1972, they played in the UEFA Cup for the first time against German champions Hertha Berlin.
In 1980, Elfsborg had their best year in the UEFA Intertoto Cup, winning their group and the tournament. The next year, they played in the UEFA Cup again. They also played in the UEFA Cup in 1984, drawing against Polish team Widzew Łódź.
Return to European Competitions
It took almost 20 years for Elfsborg to return to European cups. After a tough period, they were back in the top league. In 2001, they played in the UEFA Cup after winning the national cup. They beat JK Trans Narva but then lost to Polish giants Legia Warsaw.
In 2004, Elfsborg played in the UEFA Cup again after winning the national cup. They beat Glentoran F.C. but lost to Croatian team NK Dinamo Zagreb.
After winning the national championship in 2006, Elfsborg played in the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 2007. They beat Linfield FC and Debreceni VSC to reach the third qualifying round. There, they faced Spanish giants Valencia CF and lost both matches.
After their Champions League run, Elfsborg went straight to the 2007–08 UEFA Cup group stage. They played against teams like AEK Athens and Villarreal CF. In 2008, Elfsborg won the UEFA Intertoto Cup again. But they were surprisingly knocked out of the UEFA Cup by St Patrick's Athletic F.C..
In 2009, Elfsborg started playing in the UEFA Europa League. They beat Hungarian and Portuguese teams before losing to S.S. Lazio in the play-off round. In 2010, they reached the Europa League play-off round again, losing to SSC Napoli.
In 2011, Elfsborg played in the Europa League for the third year in a row. They won their first two qualifying rounds but lost to Norwegian team Aalesunds FK. The same thing happened in 2012. They had a huge 8–0 win against Floriana F.C., their biggest international victory ever. But they lost to Danish team AC Horsens in the third round.
Elfsborg has continued to participate in European competitions, facing teams from across Europe.
Players of IF Elfsborg
Current First-Team Squad
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Players on Loan
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Famous Players in Elfsborg History
Here are some of the most important players who have played for IF Elfsborg. They are listed by when they first played for the club.
- Player has played more than 250 league games for the club.
- Player has scored more than 50 league goals for the club.
- Player has played more than 70 games for the Swedish national team.
Player is in the Swedish football Hall of Fame.
| Name | Position | Elfsborg Career | Games | Goals | Achievements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Sven Jonasson |
FW | 1927–47 | 409 | 252 | 3 Swedish Championships, Hall of Fame |
| Åke Samuelsson |
MF | 1930–41 | 214 | 76 | 3 Swedish Championships |
| Karl-Erik Grahn |
MF | 1932–49 | 346 | 57 | 3 Swedish Championships |
| Gillis Andersson |
FW | 1933–43 | 184 | 67 | 3 Swedish Championships |
| Arvid Emanuelsson |
MF | 1933–47 | 270 | 12 | 3 Swedish Championships |
| Knut Johansson |
FW | 1936–44 | 125 | 92 | 2 Swedish Championships |
| Evert Grahn |
FW | 1940–46, 1949–52 | 154 | 55 | 1 Swedish Championships |
| Henry Larsson |
MF | 1952–54, 1961–68 | 217 | 80 | 1 Swedish Championships |
| Ove Grahn |
FW | 1961–65 | 91 | 62 | 1 Swedish 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 for Swedish national team |
| Fredrik Berglund |
FW | 1997–01, 2003, 2007–08, 2010 | 166 | 54 | 2 Svenska Cupen |
| Anders Svensson |
MF | 1997–01, 2005–2015 | 290 | 58 | 2 Swedish Championships,1 Svenska Cupen, 1 Supercupen |
| Johan Karlsson |
DF | 2001–11 | 263 | 7 | 1 Swedish Championships, 2 Svenska Cupen, 1 Supercupen |
| Teddy Lučić |
DF | 2008–10 | 68 | 3 | 86 games for Swedish national team |
Club Officials and Staff
Club Leadership
| Role | Name | Nation |
|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Bo Johansson | |
| Director | Stefan Andreasson | |
Coaching and Support Staff
| Role | Name | Nation |
|---|---|---|
| Manager | Jimmy Thelin | |
| 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 | |
Youth Team Management
| 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 | |
Managers Through the Years
Here is a list of managers who have led IF Elfsborg.
- (C) – Caretaker (temporary manager)
- (FTC) – First-team coach
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Notable Managers
These managers are famous for their time at IF Elfsborg.
- Won at least one major trophy with IF Elfsborg.
- Managed the team for at least 5 years.
| Name | Nation | Years | Honours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carl Larsson | |
1916–25
1926–30 1930–38 |
21 years in total. |
| Carl Larsson & Thure Claesson | |
1930–38 | 1 Swedish Championship |
| Sven Zachrisson | |
1938–46
1959–60 |
2 Swedish Championship |
| Karl-Erik Grahn | |
1949–52
1961–62 |
1 Swedish Championship |
| Thure Nygren | |
1957–58
1963–67 1970–72 |
7 years in total. |
| Rolf Svensson | |
1977–82 | 5 years in total. |
| Bengt-Arne Strömberg | |
1999–01 | 1 Svenska Cupen |
| Anders Grönhagen | |
2002–03 | 1 Svenska Cupen |
| Magnus Haglund | |
2004–11 | 1 Swedish Championship
1 Svenska Supercupen 1 The Atlantic Cup |
| Jörgen Lennartsson | |
2012–13 | 1 Swedish Championship |
| Klas Ingesson | |
2013–14 | 1 Svenska Cupen |
Club Honours and Trophies
National Championships
- Swedish Champions:
- Winners (6): 1935–36, 1938–39, 1939–40, 1961, 2006, 2012
League Titles
- Allsvenskan:
- Winners (6): 1935–36, 1938–39, 1939–40, 1961, 2006, 2012
- Runners-up (8): 1942–43, 1943–44, 1944–45, 1965, 1977, 2008, 2020, 2023
- Division 1 Södra:
- Winners: 1996
- Division 2 Götaland:
- Winners: 1960
- Division 2 Västsvenska Serien:
- Winners: 1925–26
Cup Trophies
- Svenska Cupen:
- Winners (3): 2000–01, 2003, 2013–14
- Runners-up (3): 1942, 1980–81, 1996–97
- Svenska Supercupen:
- Winners: 2007
European Trophies
- UEFA Intertoto Cup:
- Winners: 1980, 2008 (joint winner)
Club Records and Statistics
Elfsborg has played 70 seasons in the Allsvenskan since it started in 1924. This puts them in 5th place for most seasons played. They have been in Sweden's top league continuously since 1997, which is the 3rd longest streak.
The club is 5th in the all-time Allsvenskan table. This table lists all results, points, and goals for every team that has played in the Allsvenskan. Elfsborg is also 6th in the all-time medal table, with 24 medals.
The player with the most club and national records for IF Elfsborg is Sven Jonasson. He played 409 games, which is the most appearances ever for Elfsborg. He also scored 252 goals in Allsvenskan, an all-time record. He played for Elfsborg for 20 years, from 1927 to 1947. His amazing record of 344 consecutive games was broken only because he couldn't get leave from military service. Sven Jonasson was also the first goalscorer for the Sweden men's national football team in a World Cup. He scored two goals in Sweden's 3–2 win against Argentina in the 1934 FIFA World Cup.
- Most appearances, total: 409, Sven Jonasson
- Most goals scored, total: 252, Sven Jonasson
- Most appearances for Sweden while playing for Elfsborg, total: 106, Anders Svensson
- Most consecutive games, total: 344, Sven Jonasson, 1927–41
- Biggest victory, Svenska cupen: 19–0 vs. Varbergs BoIS, January 21, 1996
- Biggest defeat, Allsvenskan: 0–7 vs. GAIS, August 25, 1926
- Home victory, Allsvenskan: 10–1 vs. Degerfors IF, August 28, 1938
- Away victory, Allsvenskan: 12–2 vs. IFK Eskilstuna, April 19, 1936
- International victory, UEFA Europa League: 8–0 vs. Floriana F.C., July 5, 2012
- Highest attendance, Ryavallen: 22,654 vs. IFK Norrköping, 1961
- Highest attendance, Borås Arena: 17,070 vs. Kalmar FF, July 4, 2005
- Highest attendance, Ramnavallen: 16,340 vs. AIK, June 7, 1936
- Highest average attendance, season 1961: 14,608
- Highest away attendance, Ullevi: 48,296 vs. IFK Göteborg, June 2, 1977
This symbol means it's an Allsvenskan all-time record.
Top Goal Scorers
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 |
Most Appearances
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 |
Images for kids
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The historic Olympiastadion Berlin where IF Elfsborg played against Hertha BSC in the UEFA Cup in 1972.
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A youth team of IF Elfsborg, standing in front of Ryavallen in the early 1960s.
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The Ålgårdsläktaren stand during a Tifo display.
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See also
In Spanish: IF Elfsborg para niños
