First Double in 38 Years for the Most Successful Champions

A supreme season opening, a team captain who shed his shackles and a goalkeeper chasing records. Malmö FF gets to celebrate its 24th Swedish Championship gold and here we look back on the Scanians' season and put it into a historical perspective.

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First Double in 38 Years for the Most Successful Champions
Photo: Johan Nilsson/TT

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+ Decided already in May?

The reigning champion Malmö FF started with six straight wins, 18–1 goal difference and a large lead. However, in the seventh round, Elfsborg put an end to the winning streak, and the rumor of Allsvenskan's early death was greatly exaggerated.

+ Jansson-gate

Captain Pontus Jansson got into trouble in early June when, in connection with a lawsuit against MFF hooligans, it emerged that the center-back had been involved in a group chat with grossly anti-Semitic content. It later turned out that Jansson's responses to certain messages were taken out of context since the chat's content in the preliminary investigation was incomplete.

Jansson was never a suspect, but the damage was already done, while he acknowledged that he should not have chatted with violent supporters. MFF responded by revoking the captaincy from the 33-year-old.

+ Nanasi left

Sebastian Nanasi broke through last season and was named Player of the Year in Allsvenskan. The 22-year-old continued in the same style this year, but after six goals and ten assists in 17 matches, he said "au revoir" to Allsvenskan and signed with French Ligue 1 club Strasbourg. However, the team has managed without Nanasi – a year younger Hugo Bolin has blossomed and secured the SM gold for MFF via his 2–1 goal at home against IFK Göteborg in the 27th round.

+ The team's eighth double

In the spring, MFF also won the Swedish Cup after a final victory over Djurgården, thus securing the so-called double. For Malmö, it is the eighth time in history that they have won both the SM gold and the Cup gold in the same season, but it is the first time since 1986 that the team has achieved the feat.

It is now relatively rare for Allsvenskan teams to win the double. Helsingborg did it in 2011, AIK in 2009, and Djurgården achieved the double twice when the century was young (2002 and 2005).

+ Can Dahlin equal the gold record?

Goalkeeper Johan Dahlin got to celebrate his first gold party as early as 2010 and now has a total of seven SM gold medals with MFF. That is one fewer than record holder Thomas Ravelli, the star goalkeeper who won eight SM gold medals (1980–1996) during his years in Öster and IFK Göteborg. Dahlin has a contract until 2025 and can thus equal Ravelli's record next season.

2024: Malmö FF.

2023: Malmö FF.

2022: Häcken.

2021: Malmö FF.

2020: Malmö FF.

2019: Djurgården.

2018: AIK.

2017: Malmö FF.

2016: Malmö FF.

2015: IFK Norrköping.

24 SM titles: Malmö FF. 18: IFK Göteborg. 13: IFK Norrköping. 12: Örgryte, AIK, Djurgården. 6: Elfsborg. 5: Helsingborg. 4: Gais, Öster, Halmstad. 2: Åtvidaberg. 1: Göteborgs IF, IFK Eskilstuna, Fässberg, Brynäs, Sleipner, Hammarby, Kalmar FF, Häcken.

Founded: 24 February 1910.

Allsvenskan seasons: 89 (including this year's).

Position in the Allsvenskan marathon table: First.

Arena: Eleda Stadium.

Coach: Henrik Rydström (since November 2022).

Number of SM gold medals: 24 (1944, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1965, 1967, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1986, 1988, 2004, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024).

Number of Swedish Cup titles: 16 (1944, 1946, 1947, 1951, 1953, 1967, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1989, 2022, 2024).

Other merits: Runners-up in the European Cup, the predecessor to the Champions League, 1979. Svenska Dagbladet's athletic achievement medal 1979.

Most Allsvenskan matches: Krister Kristensson, 348 (1963–1978).

Most Allsvenskan goals: Bo Larsson, 119 (1962–1966, 1969–1979).

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By TTEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for local and international readers

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