Halmstad's 42-year-old played 17 Allsvenskan matches last season – which means that Andreas Johansson now holds the record for most matches in the league: 445 matches.
He's stopping there.
The centre-back has decided to end his playing career.
"Tough"
It's a very tough and difficult decision to make. Somewhere I find it hard to accept it, but at the same time I feel it's the right decision to make, he says to the club's website.
I've always said that I want to decide when it's time to stop, and I feel that's a good time now.
In the video clip on the website, Johansson praises the supporters and thanks players, leaders, family – and above all Janne Andersson, who previously coached Halmstad, IFK Norrköping and then was the national team coach.
Big thanks for everything you've taught me, but also for convincing me to become a centre-back in 2014. You were right and extended my career by many years. If that hadn't happened, it's not certain that we would have won the championship gold, which we did. I'm incredibly happy about that.
Coach role next season
Johansson is not finished with football, however. He will continue as an assistant coach in the club.
I'll be very close to the pitch, just a few meters outside the white lines. I'm looking forward to it incredibly much. I'm incredibly loaded, inspired, and I'm looking forward to helping the other leaders develop "HBK", he says.
Andreas Johansson was fostered in Halmstad and left for German Bochum in 2009. In 2012, he returned home to Sweden but chose to play for IFK Norrköping, where he was part of winning the championship gold in 2015. In 2019, he moved home again.
