the forgotten. Henrik Larsson did not believe him.
Now Elias Andersson, 26, has proven to “Henke” – and others – that he’s good enough.
– We collided. Henrik Larsson just didn’t get it right when it came to me, says Djurgården national team debutant at left-back.
He agreed to loan him out once. Elias Anderson can buy that. He is now back in Helsingborg after his successful 2015 in Varberg. Andersson, who was the captain of the Swedish under-17 team that won the bronze medal a few years ago, was looking positively at the future.
– I did well in Helsingborg and then played early in Allsvenskan. It was Rohr Hansen who bet on me. Everything was great.
Then Henrik Larsson took over HIF and the sweet bread days of talent were over.
– A certain coach came and we did not agree. I really clashed with Henke.
What happened?
– It was absolutely clear that I would not be allowed to play under him. Then I initially went on loan to Varberg. Then I felt like I was going to mess up Allsvenskan with Helsingborg again. But Henke didn’t want that either.
“Doesn’t Henki want that from me…”
how did you find it?
– Very tough. But I also felt: “If Henke doesn’t want me, then I don’t want to be here either.” Then I would prefer to put my evolution in someone else’s hands. We were directly with each other. I took that score and wanted to play football somewhere else instead.
In 2016 Henrik Larsson didn’t think he was good enough, in 2023 Elias Andersson was named to the national team for the first time after a stellar season with Djurgården in the Allsvenskan and Europa Conference League.
Was Larson right or wrong about you?
– lol. That’s a good question. You can’t say he got it right anyway!
Andersson has methodically worked his way up the hierarchy of Swedish football. After several difficult years with Varberg in the first division, he ended up at Sirius. There, Scanian gained such a strong reputation in Allsvenskan that Djurgården chose him. Once in the senior team environment, he made his breakthrough as a left back.
Andersson was an emergency solution at full-back when Pierre Bengson was unable to play, but quickly showed he is the club’s best left-back in 2022. Playing full-back in distribution for the Blue Stripes, Andersson performed strongly in Allsvenskan and Europe, and was one of the great exclamation points for the team. Not least the selection of the national team is gossip.
Are you a full left back now?
– lol. Yes Yes. I think so. It seems so. If you’ve been selected as a left-back for the national team, it’s hard to say otherwise. In fact, I don’t want to leave the midfield completely. At the same time, it is good to compete in many positions.
What’s more fun?
– Now I have to say left back! And, in fact, it is, especially in the case of an attack. As a left-back, I’m in front of the whole field, always facing the right. This is when I’m at my best. So I really enjoy it.
“I have to do as little as I want in attack.”
He sees himself as a very attacking left-back, which has become popular in Allsvenskan. Mohannad Jehzi in Hammarby is another example of a full-back who has been one of the most important playmakers in his team.
– Kim and Toole told me I could do as little as I wanted in the attack. I have free rein too. Then you grow as a player, in such a free role. At the same time, I know that the offensive game has never been a problem for me.
No, it’s the defense Anderson had to hone. However, he feels strong support from his teammates.
– On both sides of the team, we have Hjalmar Ekdal, Magnus Ericsson and then Harris Raditnak or Gustav Wickheim who speak in front of me. Then the defensive game is not that hard because it helps me all the time. Talking to me and showing me how to behave, he says and continues:
– I had to do my best in the one-on-one defensive game. During training, I constantly encounter uncomfortable situations. And yes… if you meet Joel Asoro and Gustav Wikheim, who are the best in Allsvenskan one by one, you grow as a defender.
Djurgården has the most players on the January national team tour of Portugal. Jacob Wedel Zetterström, Hjalmar Ekdal, Joel Asuru, Victor Edwardsen and Anderson himself. At the same time, the team looks stronger than ever. Bosse Andersson has got strong names like Carlos Moros Gracia, Oliver Berg and Jacob Bergström and from Brommapojkarna Djurgården has got three great talents with 16 year old Lukas Bergvall at the helm.
“What did Malmö come to? Seven?”
What do you say about Djurgården?
– That we have good resources. We recruit smartly and take into account all criteria. It gives us the chance to be better in 2023 than in 2022.
Essential question, but… Djurgården is of course behind Malmö financially, but do you think you’re starting to get close to Malmö’s level in terms of sport?
– It’s just a matter of looking at the results in recent years, right? What has Malmö achieved and what have we achieved? Then even. I’m not thinking about what clubs have in the bank, but on the field … There, Djurgården has every chance to go far both in Europe and in Allsvenskan, Andersson says and sums up the situation:
– Yes, I think we are at the same mathematical level now. Check last year. Where did Malmö end up in the Allsvenskan? Seven? He did not win a single match in the group stage outside Europe. This says a lot. Of course they had problems with coach changes and such, but Djurgården is on the rise in Sweden.
On Monday, Anderson and other zoos get the chance to show off their blue and yellow when Sweden meets Finland on the Algarve coast.
– It will be a lot of fun! I’m so excited to show you what I’m doing in this environment.
