Jacob Bergstrom has enjoyed a remarkable rise to the Champions League stage, scoring 10 goals in 22 appearances throughout 2026, including the decisive strike in May’s Swedish Cup final. The 31-year-old was never scouted by a youth academy and played amateur football until the age of 22. His journey is far from conventional; even after joining Mjallby in 2018, he continued working at Subway to make ends meet. He did not become a full-time professional until he was 24.
Over the past year, the burly striker has helped Mjallby win the Swedish championship and Swedish Cup for the first time in their 87-year history. Reflecting on his path, Bergstrom told Sport, “When I first came here, we were in the third division. I was so happy to sign. It was so big to me then.” He added, “I never dreamed of anything like this. It was like, I didn’t even think about it. For me to be here now is crazy, and to do it with Mjallby as well is amazing.”
Last season’s surprise title triumph made headlines around the world, mainly because of Mjallby’s remote location. The club is based in Hallevik, a coastal village in southern Sweden with fewer than 1,000 residents. As the strongest football team in Blekinge County, Mjallby attract fans from across the region, averaging home crowds of 5,000 last season. They also attract players such as Bergstrom, who grew up an hour’s drive north in Blekinge’s capital Karlskrona, a naval city where handball and ice hockey are more popular.
When Bergstrom rejoined Mjallby after a brief spell with Stockholm-based Djurgarden in 2023, he and his wife moved to Hallevik. Their home is just 100 metres from the Baltic Sea, nestled between some woods, a campsite, and an outdoor swimming pool. Although Hallevik is a sleepy fishing village in winter, holidaymakers quadruple its population in the summer. Bergstrom frequently cycles to games and training at Mjallby’s home ground, Strandvallen.
“Mjallby believed in me so I’m forever grateful,” Bergstrom says. “You have the ocean and the people. It’s so beautiful by the water and the beach. In the winter there’s not many people here, so it doesn’t fit for everyone, but it fits for us.” Mjallby fans now regard Bergstrom as one of them, as the 6ft 3in target man embodies the underdog mentality of the region’s rural community.
He once celebrated in front of Malmo fans and did not flinch when they showered him with beer, later remarking that “it tasted very good.” After last season’s win at Mjallby’s big-city rivals, he grabbed a megaphone and led a chant of “whoever doesn’t jump is a Malmo pig.” Despite his and Mjallby’s remarkable rise from obscurity, Bergstrom remains a regular guy. He still cycles to games and fans might still bump into him in the local supermarket.
There was a carnival atmosphere for Mjallby’s first European game against Gibraltar’s Lincoln Red Imps. A jazz band welcomed 3,500 fans to the stadium. “Playing in Europe is special for the whole village and for everyone here at the club,” says Bergstrom. “Every time I take my bike to the game, I see all the people in their yellow and black shirts. Everyone has flags in their garden. They are so proud to be part of this journey we’ve made together.”
Fans watching Mjallby’s first Champions League game in the village heard the roar of the crowd moments before they saw the goals on the big screen. Strandvallen holds 6,500, but Uefa does not permit standing areas, so the capacity is restricted to 3,500 in Europe. Hallevik has become the second smallest village to stage a Champions League fixture, trailing only Streymnes in the Faroe Islands. Before the 3-0 win over the Red Imps, Mjallby fans revealed a tifo which featured a ship.
A 0-0 draw in Gibraltar meant Mjallby progressed to the third qualifying round to meet Slovan Bratislava, who gave Yaya Toure his first managerial job in June. The 43-year-old Toure helped Barcelona win the 2009 Champions League final at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico. Tuesday’s first leg at Strandvallen will be unlike any Champions League game he has been involved in. Toure noted that Mjallby have “something that other teams don’t have” as they face the 24-time Slovakian champions.
The stakes are high, with a place in the Champions League play-offs on the line. Bergstrom remains focused on the task at hand, viewing the match as another chapter in the club’s improbable story. The team’s collective spirit has been the cornerstone of their success, allowing them to punch well above their weight against established European giants.
Even if Mjallby do not pull off another upset against Bratislava, they are guaranteed to play in at least this season’s Conference League. This ensures that Bergstrom and his teammates will continue to test themselves against high-caliber opposition throughout the autumn. For a player who spent years balancing a sandwich shop shift with lower-league football, the prospect of European nights is a dream realized.
As the village prepares for the arrival of Slovan Bratislava, the atmosphere in Hallevik remains electric. The connection between the club, the players, and the local residents has created a unique environment that has baffled opponents. Bergstrom continues to embody that connection, remaining grounded despite the global attention now focused on the small Swedish coastal settlement.
A jazz band welcomed 3,500 fans while another 2,300 carried deckchairs and cool boxes to Hallevik’s marina to watch on a big screen.
Hallevik has become the second smallest village to stage a Champions League fixture – after Streymnes in the Faroe Islands (population 321).
Before the 3-0 win over the Red Imps, Mjallby fans revealed a tifo which featured a ship and a map of Europe, with a banner which read: “A new chapter in the history books – written by all who dared to dream and those w
He then scored on his Champions League debut and now aims to help Mjallby continue their fairytale by overcoming Slovan Bratislava, whose new head coach is Champions League winner and former Manchester City midfielder Toure.
Bergstrom said the tifo was unbelievable while captain Jesper Gustavsson had goosebumps.
Gustavsson is one of those that refused to give up – literally.
The 31-year-old is the last survivor of the Mjallby team that avoided relegation to the fourth tier – and probable bankruptcy – on the final day of the 2016 season.
Gustavsson grew up just 20 minutes north of Hallevik.
He went to Mjallby games with his dad before making his debut aged 18.
Now the diminutive midfielder leads a loyal, tight-knit group that has a core of local players and punches above its weight.
Tuesday’s first leg at Strandvallen (17:00 BST) will be unlike any Champions League game he’s been involved in.
They face a long drive through acres of farmland, with virtually nothing of note except Mjallby flags hanging from tractors.
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