Last season’s unexpected championship success drew global attention, largely because Mjallby are based in such an isolated place. The club comes from Hallevik, a seaside village in southern Sweden with a population of fewer than 1,000.
As Blekinge County’s leading football side, Mjallby draw supporters from throughout the area and recorded an average home attendance of 5,000 last season.
The club also appeals to players such as Bergstrom, who was raised about an hour north in Karlskrona, Blekinge’s capital. In the naval city, handball and ice hockey have traditionally enjoyed greater popularity.
After returning to Mjallby in 2023 following a short period with Djurgarden in Stockholm, Bergstrom relocated to Hallevik with his wife. The couple now live there with their two children.
Hallevik may be a quiet fishing community during winter, but its population grows to four times its usual size when summer visitors arrive.
Bergstrom also enjoys cycling to matches and practice sessions at Strandvallen, Mjallby’s home stadium. Located only 100 metres from the Baltic Sea, the ground sits among woodland, a campsite and an open-air swimming pool.
“What makes this place special is the sea and the community,” Bergstrom says. “The coastline and beach are incredibly beautiful.
“It becomes very quiet here during winter, which may not suit everybody, but it is perfect for our family.”
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