EXCLUSIVE: Bromma’s Boys are Turning Heads in European Football

Located on the fringes of Stockholm is one of Europe’s most significant football academies, known for nurturing some of the brightest talents in the game, including Viktor Gyökeres, Dejan Kulusevski, and Lucas Bergvall. As the 2025 Allsvenskan season kicks off this weekend, Flashscore took a closer look at the remarkable story of Brommapojkarna.

Although Brommapojkarna may not be a household name for most football fans, this unassuming club returns to Sweden’s premier league, the Allsvenskan, for a remarkable tenth time. Remarkably, it stands as one of the finest football academies in Sweden, with former players like Albin Ekdal, John Guidetti, Ludwig Augustinsson, Dejan Kulusevski, Lucas Bergvall, and Viktor Gyökeres all having emerged from its ranks to find success in professional European football.

In Sweden’s latest squad for official matches in November, eight players donned the iconic red and black jersey. This number swells even further when considering the youth teams, highlighting the effectiveness of a groundbreaking method that has revolutionised Swedish football.

The pathway leading to the quaint Grimsta IP, which boasts a modest capacity of 4,000, establishes the community feel cherished by the boys from Bromma (translated as Brommapojkarna). Here, over 4,300 players proudly wear the red and black colours, competing across 267 teams at various levels, ranging from five-year-olds to the club’s senior men’s and women’s sides.

“Swedish football operates differently compared to other nations, and Stockholm is unique as well. All the top 20 clubs in terms of training are based here, and we dominate the scene; Hammarby has 500 fewer players, while Sollentuna and Täby also boast sizeable youth teams.

“In Gothenburg, by contrast, clubs typically have one team per age group; here, we offer 25 teams for men and eight for women’s youth leagues starting from the age of eight, all competing at various levels.

This football academy model, launched four decades ago, is highly organised and strategic: “Kids aged five to seven simply play for enjoyment, guided by volunteer parents as coaches; the focus is purely on having fun. This year, we’ve enrolled over a thousand players.

That constitutes about 90 percent of our club, with children participating in the sport. We also run academies for both boys and girls aimed at developing them into competitive footballers with the guidance of outstanding coaches. The most talented coaches aspire to work with us.

This year, our under-17 team clinched the championship and will debut in the (UEFA) Youth League next year. Both of our U17 teams are set to compete in the Allsvenskan next season, thanks to our B team’s promotion.

Furthermore, we will have three teams competing in the Allsvenskan at the Under-16 level, and one team each in the first and second divisions for the U19s. There are numerous players engaged in competitive matches.

Having a large player base certainly works in their favour. Yet, the presence of high-quality coaches is equally crucial, with talents like Olof Mellberg and former national coach Tommy Söderberg having shaped their coaching philosophy at Brommapojkarna.

“Our edge lies in the large number of players competing against the strongest teams in the country. Coupled with exceptional coaches who have risen through our academy, our first-team coaches Ulf Kristiansson and Frederik Landén have both progressed through our system.

Olof Mellberg began here coaching his son’s team before reaching the first team. Other notable coaches include Stefan Billborn from Gothenburg and Tommy Söderberg, who once managed the national team at the turn of the century. The list goes on.

Such a supportive environment fosters player development, making it attractive for the best to join. This reputation also contributes to a winning mindset; anyone who arrives here understands it’s a place that nurtures talent. In the top three divisions in Sweden alone, we boast 60 professional players that we’ve developed.

Is there a distinctive player profile shaped at Brommapojkarna, similar to how Barcelona is known for its midfielders and Sporting for its defenders?

“Our emphasis is on technical proficiency; that’s our priority from a young age. In our academy, we focus predominantly on dribbling, passing, and shooting—constantly engaging with the ball. Training is largely individualistic, centring around ball skills. This becomes the foundational aspect of their development.

The players may not always be the tallest or the strongest, but they excel technically. Look at players like John Guidetti, a prolific striker; Dejan Kulusevski, a cerebral midfielder; Ludwig Augustinsson, a reliable defender; and Karl Starfelt, who stands out for his defensive capabilities despite not being technically gifted. Daniel Svensson transitioned from a full-back to a midfielder at Nordsjaelland as well.

Additionally, we have creative flair in the squad, including a talented number 10 and top-quality goalkeepers like Davor Blazevic and Kristoffer Nordfeldt, a regular for Sweden. Last spring, both goalkeepers (Filip Sidklev and Elis Bishesari) played for our U19 team and are now starters in the Allsvenskan.

Despite the impressive youth system, the senior team remains of paramount importance to fans. The journey for Brommapojkarna hasn’t been straightforward, with many stints in the lower tiers of Swedish football. However, as they embark on their tenth campaign in the Allsvenskan, the team looks to build upon a commendable tenth-place finish last season, indicating a positive shift.

“We find ourselves in the strongest position we’ve ever been in. A decade ago, player transfers brought little financial reward and we often fought against larger clubs for resources. Today, the FIFA solidarity mechanism has changed all that, providing us with an automatic share of transfer fees.

We now receive substantial funds from players’ transfers, almost like accrued interest. For instance, Augustinsson’s move to Sevilla, Kulusevski’s transition, and Starfelt’s transfer have all benefitted us financially. We also gained from Bergvall’s sale to Tottenham, leading to our best financial year ever.

For the first time, we’ve crossed the 10 million euro mark in our annual balance sheet. We’re now on a different financial plane. A decade ago, we competed in the Allsvenskan without funds, relying on youth players who weren’t fully prepared, which caused us to drop in rankings. Now, we can invest in players to not only anchor ourselves but also time the integration of youth players effectively.

We’re steadily progressing and investing in our team to sustain it while keeping an eye on the future with ambitions of qualifying for European competitions. We’re not rushing, but we believe it’s feasible in the near future. Moreover, we are allocating resources for coaching courses to further elevate our training standards.

The turning point? Viktor Gyökeres’s transfer to Brighton in 2018 for one million euros.

“We’ve always had a solid reputation for player development. Many clubs aim to collaborate with us to secure our best talents, and numerous young players have been invited to train with elite teams. One of our youth scouts has spent two decades at Manchester United, offering evaluations for them.

The momentum has shifted since Gyökeres’s departure; it’s been clear that we could profit from player sales. This was further validated with Jack Lahne’s transfer for two million euros to Amiens the following year,” he concluded.

Keep a close watch, as Brommapojkarna’s youth talent looks poised to make significant waves in European football.

On the domestic front, Brommapojkarna kick off their 2025 Allsvenskan season tomorrow with an away fixture against Hacken at 17:30 CET, following the season opener featuring Djurgarden against defending champions Malmo.