Largely absent from Euro 2024, two years after missing the 2022 World Cup, Sweden is experiencing a generational low. Nothing too worrying since a talented youth is arriving. We can think of Hugo Larsson (19 years old) who shines at Eintracht Frankfurt, Roony Bardghji (18 years old) who impresses with FC Copenhagen or even Jonah Kusi-Asare (16 years old) who is close to leaving AIK for Bayern Munich. Among his promising names, we can easily grant that of Lucas Bergvall. A 17-year-old midfielder and Swedish international since last January and a friendly match against Estonia (2-1), the right-hander has been destined for a bright future for a while.
Starting in the Swedish third division on November 21, 2021 when he was only 15 years old, Lucas Bergvall grew up just like his club IF Brommapojkarna. Known for having trained several Swedish internationals such as Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting CP), Albin Ekdal (ex Juventus), Ludwig Augustinsson (ex Sevilla) and Dejan Kulusevski (Tottenham), this training from the suburbs of Stockholm is a national reference in progression great talents. And like them, Lucas Bergvall will learn. Used more during the 2022 season, he will play 11 matches for 1 goal and 1 offering and will participate in the coronation and promotion of his club to the Swedish first division. Quality services which then convinced Djurgården to pay 900,000 euros in order to obtain its services. At sixteen, he became the fourth biggest transfer in the club’s history.
Great beginnings
With the status of a nugget and a lot of pressure, Lucas Bergvall will quickly relieve it with his performances. To make matters worse, he will debut in his new colors against IF Brommapojkarna on April 1 in a 3-1 victory. Substitute for a long time in order not to expose him too quickly, Lucas Bergvall will have his chance as a starter almost two months later in a 1-0 victory against Häcken, the reigning champion. Playing a high-quality match, he already made everyone agree. “You have goosebumps. We saw that he is a skilled footballer who has talent.”
“To make his debut and from the first second show his talent. He’s enjoying the situation and playing the football he loves, it’s great to see. I have already said that it was a historic day, everyone will remember May 24, when Lucas made his debut (his first start, editor’s note) in Allsvenskan. It was visible in the stands” said Djurgården sports director Bosse Andersson after the game. His teammate Viktor Edvardsen was amused by Lucas Bergvall’s level: “he had a very good match. We have to hope there weren’t too many clubs here and they watched him today, because then the 100 million crown man will disappear this summer.”
Rennes tried it
Playing one match after another and ending the season as a starter, Lucas Bergvall ended the year with 3 goals and 1 goal in 28 matches. A relay midfielder also capable of playing as a sentry, he was even placed as a center forward in one match. Physically strong, technically gifted and with an impressive vision of the game, Lucas Bergvall quickly caught the eye of the biggest players and a French club tried his luck. This is Stade Rennais which well remembered the arrivals of Andreas Isaksson and Kim Källström in 2003 and 2004 from Djurgården.
Information revealed last November by Sportbladet, but which has been followed by numerous transfer rumors since. Eintracht Frankfurt and especially FC Barcelona have drawn their weight in this matter. A fan of the Catalan club, he nevertheless publicly wanted to calm things down in comments reported by Aftonbladet : “when there’s a lot of speculation and you read a lot, it’s a confirmation that you’ve done something right on the ground. This is absolutely the case. But it’s the team I currently play for, Djurgården, that I give my all. I don’t want to fly off the handle, which can be easy to do when you read a lot about yourself.”
A €10M transfer for FC Barcelona
Since then, the player has also made his debut for the Swedish national team at just 17 years, 11 months and 10 days old, making him the sixth youngest to achieve this performance. The second of the modern era after Alexander Isak (17 years, 3 months and 18 days) in January 2017. Full of self-confidence, he was satisfied at the end of this great first: “Incredibly fun to make your national team debut. We have a very good team with a lot of good players. It’s so much fun.”
A match where the scouts came in numbers to see it: “It’s not something I thought about, but maybe that’s how it should be in a Swedish national A team match.” Currently in Barcelona as announced Sport Lucas Bergvall is set to sign for the Blaugranas for 7 million euros and 3 million euros in bonuses. A nice bet on the future for a player who is progressing through the stages at an impressive speed.
