In the 2025 season, Elliot Stroud was one of the key players in the Mjällby that broke the scoring record in the Allsvenskan and won its first SM gold ever. Already at that point it had been reported for some time that he was about to leave the association from Blekinge, but when the 2026 season started he was still there.
He started the season by scoring in the cup final against Hammarby, where Mjällby secured their second title. The fine performances in Mjällby prompted the men's national team's national team captain Graham Potter to take the 24-year-old left-winger out of the national team for the playoff matches, where Sweden secured its place in this summer's soccer World Cup.
Stroud was also included in the WC squad. In the training match against Greece before the championship, he made his debut and in the WC he continued to be trusted by the national team captain.
- It is something you will carry with you for the rest of your life. There were so many great memories, says Stroud during the ongoing first national team gathering after the World Cup in North America.
But the 24-year-old from Uddevalla wasn't done creating great memories after the WC. During the summer, he finally left Mjällby and now belongs to Hull in the English Premier League.
- It has been a very busy period for me, both with club football and the WC and all that that entails. It has gone so fast from the Allsvenskan to the Premier League. At the same time, it has felt like a matter of course once you got in there, says Stroud.
When it was time for the Premier League opener against Manchester United in August, Stroud was in Hull's starting line-up. Here's what Stroud says about what has been the coolest moment since moving to the English club:
- As I was a Manchester United supporter before I now became a Hull supporter, it was probably when I saw Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford go out for the warm-up there. Then it's clear that it's not something you think about when you play the match itself.
It was a 2-0 win against Manchester United for Hull, who were promoted to the Premier League from the second division last spring. Since the premiere, they have won one more game, drawn one and lost two. That puts them in eighth place in the league so far, making Hull the best-placed newcomer.
- We've had a great start to the Premier League, which I don't think many would have expected in advance, so there's nothing to complain about right now.
If it has gone well for Hull, it is more difficult for Mjällby. The reigning champions, who Stroud left during the summer, are in 12th place in the Allsvenskan and are not safe from the relegation battle.
- I think it's just a matter of a bit of low self-confidence, but I think that will turn around as soon as the results come in.
In early September, Mjällby fired coach Karl Marius Aksum and replaced him with Andreas Brännström.
- Considering everything he (Aksum) and Mjällby have achieved, I thought that maybe it wasn't really time to take the drastic measures. But it is a results-based industry and the easiest way to change a negative trend is to change the head coach, says Stroud.
On Friday evening, the Swedish men's national team played their first match after the WC. It was a 2–1 win against Romania. Stroud played the whole match and scored his first international goal, but it was disallowed after a VAR review.
- The most important thing is that we got off to a good start and that it felt good out there. That's what I'm most happy about, says Stroud after Saturday's game.
On Monday, it is time for Sweden's second Nations League match of the season. Kick-off takes place at 20.45 and it is Poland who visit the Strawberry arena in Solna. It remains to be seen if Elliot Stroud will get another chance to score his first international goal then.
