Club career
In Finland
Starting his career in FC Viikingit before moving to HJK in the Finnish top league in 2003, he debuted in 2003. His 2005 season ended badly with a serious injury in the middle of the season. Same injury came later in the beginning of 2007 when he again missed half of the season due to this fracture in his right leg. This was also his last year in HJK as he signed to a Swedish club GAIS after a tip off from former Finnish national team coach Roy Hodgson as a bosman. [1] However, before he ever had a chance to make a debut for GAIS he moved to the Allsvenskan rivals Malmö FF. [2] [3] Before signing with GAIS, he was on trial with Italian Atalanta and Leeds United. The Norwegian clubs Start and Molde IF, as well as a few unknown Danish clubs were also interested to sign him, but found him too expensive. [1]
Malmö FF
Following a disappointing couple of years with Malmö FF with a knee injury, Halsti reinvigorated his club career by heading in the 3–2 goal against Kalmar FF away from home in April 2010, which ultimately won Malmö the match. In the same game he also got injured, and due to this injury he missed most of the 2010 season. In 2010 Malmö FF won the league just ahead of their rivals Helsingborgs IF. Halsti played as a central defender and right defender positions during the 2011 season. He scored his second goal for the club in the away derby match against Helsingborgs IF, which eventually ended in a 2–2 draw.
In 2011 Malmö FF was close of qualification to the Champions League, first winning Rangers FC away 1–0 where Halsti played as a right back, and then getting 1–1 draw at home in a game where Halsti was injured once again. In the end GNK Dinamo Zagreb went to the Group Stage of the tournament by only one goal marginal, as they first won home 4–1 but then lost 2–0 in Malmö. Halsti played in both games, making a goal pass to 1–1 goal in Zagreb. Malmö still qualified to the Europa League in the same group as AZ Alkmaar, FC Metalist Kharkiv and FK Austria Wien. In the group Malmö didn't have much chance as they got only 1 point in 6 games. AZ Alkmaar and FC Metalist Kharkiv qualified to the quarter- finals of the tournament but were both beaten there. Halsti played totally three games in the competition. For the 2012 season, Halsti found himself in tough competition for a starting spot, and only received limited time on the pitch for the first part of the season. After the summer break, manager Rikard Norling decided that he wanted to play Halsti as a central midfielder, a position where the team needed reinforcement. In total Halsti played 13 matches for Malmö FF during the 2012 season, the majority as a midfielder. After the end of the season Halsti was offered a new contract lasting until the end of the 2014 season. Halsti extended his contract on 3 December 2012. [4]
During the 2013 season, Halsti became an integral part of the Malmö side that secured the championship in late October 2013. [5] Halsti continued to play as a central midfielder during the season and played 28 matches and scored two goals in his most successful season yet at the club. Halsti scored the only goal of the game in the last minutes of the first half in the home fixture against title contender AIK on 11 August 2013. He later scored the club's last goal of the season in the 3–1 win against Syrianska FC at home on 3 November 2013. For the 2014 season Halsti sporadically captained Malmö FF and was officially selected to the Allsvenskan Team of the Year. [6] Halsti made 26 league appearances during his last season at the club as well as participating in all 12 matches of the club's 2014–15 UEFA Champions League campaign.
D.C. United
On 12 January 2015, it was announced that Halsti had signed with MLS club D.C. United on a free transfer. [7] Halsti missed the first several months of the 2015 MLS season due to a knee injury, before making his debut in an away loss to the Philadelphia Union on 17 May 2015. [8] Over the course of the season, Halsti made sporadic starts in central midfield for United, eventually garnering an extended run in the starting eleven during the final months of the season. Halsti also started all three of United's matches in the 2015 MLS Playoffs and made three appearances in the club's successful advancement from the group stage of the 2015–16 CONCACAF Champions League. Halsti and D.C. United mutually parted ways on 25 May, 2016. [9]
Nils Markus Rosenberg is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a forward. He spent the majority of his career with his boyhood club Malmö FF, as well as a notable five-year stint with German Bundesliga side Werder Bremen. Rosenberg served as captain of Malmö from 2015 to 2019. Rosenberg won 33 caps for the Sweden national team, scoring 6 goals, and represented them at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2008, and UEFA Euro 2012.
Rikard Olof Norling is a Swedish football manager.
Enoch Kofi Adu is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Finnish club EIF.
Miiko Martín Albornoz Inola is a Chilean professional footballer who plays as a left-back for the Danish Superliga club Vejle Boldklub.
Dardan Rexhepi is a professional footballer who plays for Norrby IF as a striker. He was raised in Sweden and played for their youth football teams before playing for the senior Kosovo national team.
The 2011 Allsvenskan, part of the 2011 Swedish football season, was the 87th season of Allsvenskan since its establishment in 1924. The preliminary 2011 fixtures were released on 15 December 2010. The season began on 2 April 2011 and ended on 23 October 2011. Malmö FF were the defending champions, having won their 16th Swedish championship and their 19th Allsvenskan title the previous season.
The 2011 season was Malmö FF's 100th in existence, their 76th season in Allsvenskan and their 11th consecutive season in the league. They competed in Allsvenskan, where they finished in 4th position, Svenska Cupen, where they were knocked out in the quarter-finals, Svenska Supercupen, where they finished as runners-up, the UEFA Champions League, where they were knocked out in the play-off round and finally the UEFA Europa League, where they were knocked out in the group stage. Malmö FF were the reigning champions of Allsvenskan and also returned to European cup play after a five-year absence. Manager Roland Nilsson left the club on 29 May to become the new manager for F.C. Copenhagen, he was replaced by Rikard Norling who officially became the new Malmö FF manager on 3 June.
John Erik Gunnar Friberg is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Beginning his career with Västra Frölunda IF in 2005, he went on to represent Seattle Sounders, Malmö FF, Bologna, and Esbjerg fB before retiring at BK Häcken in 2022. He won two caps for the Sweden national team in 2012.
Simon Kroon is a Swedish footballer who plays for Östersunds FK in Superettan. He is the son of the former athletes Johnny Kroon and Annika Lorentzon.
The 2012 season was Malmö FF's 101st in existence, their 77th season in Allsvenskan and their 12th consecutive season in the league. They competed in Allsvenskan where they finished in 3rd position. Malmö FF also participated in one competition in which the club continued playing in for the 2013 season, 2012–13 Svenska Cupen. The season was Rikard Norlings first full season as the club's manager as he joined the club halfway through the 2011 season. Ulrich Vinzents was appointed new club captain as the former captain, Daniel Andersson, announced that he would prioritise his coaching career as one of Malmö FF's three assistant managers. However, injury problems for the club's defender saw Andersson playing ten out of twelve league matches before the break for UEFA Euro 2012 and thus also holding the captaincy, Andersson continued to play sporadically after the summer break. Appointed captain Vinzents was injured in an early stage of the season and Miiko Albornoz was brought into the starting eleven, Albornoz held the position until the end of the season. Due to these circumstances third captain Jiloan Hamad held the captaincy for the majority of the matches throughout the season.
Anders Erik Berg is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a defender. Beginning his career at Falkenbergs FF in 2008, he went on to represent GAIS, Malmö FF, Gent, and Copenhagen before retiring at Djurgårdens IF in 2021. A full international between 2014 and 2016, he won 12 caps for the Sweden national team and played at UEFA Euro 2016.
Anton Lars Tinnerholm is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Allsvenskan club Malmö FF.
Anders Bleg Christiansen is a Danish professional footballer who plays for Allsvenskan club Malmö FF as a midfielder. He also serves as club captain since 2020. He used to play with the nickname 'AC' on the back of his shirt.
Magnus Lennart Eriksson is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Djurgårdens IF in Allsvenskan.
The 2013 season was Malmö FF's 102nd in existence, their 78th season in Allsvenskan and their 13th consecutive season in the league. They competed in Allsvenskan where they finished first, 2012–13 Svenska Cupen where they were knocked out in the group stage, Svenska Supercupen where they won the competition against IFK Göteborg and the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League where they were knocked out in the third qualifying round. Malmö FF also participated in one competition in which the club continued playing in for the 2014 season, 2013–14 Svenska Cupen. The season began with the group stage of Svenska Cupen in March, league play started in April and lasted until November, Svenska Supercupen was the last competitive match of the season.
The 2014 Allsvenskan, part of the 2014 Swedish football season, was the 90th season of Allsvenskan since its establishment in 1924. The 2014 fixtures were released on 20 December 2013. The season started on 30 March 2014 and concluded on 1 November 2014. Malmö FF were the defending champions from the 2013 season.
The 2014 season was Malmö FF's 103rd in existence, their 79th season in Allsvenskan and their 14th consecutive season in the league. They competed in Allsvenskan where they finished first, 2013–14 Svenska Cupen where they were knocked out in the semi-finals, Svenska Supercupen where they won the competition against IF Elfsborg and the 2014–15 UEFA Champions League where they were knocked out in the group stage. Malmö FF also participated in one competition in which the club continued playing in for the 2015 season, 2014–15 Svenska Cupen. This season was the first time since the 2005 season that the club played consecutive seasons in European competition. The season began with the group stage of Svenska Cupen on 1 March, league play started on 30 March and concluded on 1 November. The season concluded with the last Champions League group stage match on 9 December.
Svenska Supercupen 2014, Swedish Super Cup 2014, was the 8th Svenska Supercupen, an annual football match contested by the winners of the previous season's Allsvenskan and Svenska Cupen competitions. The match was played at Malmö Stadion, Malmö, on 9 November 2014, and was played by the 2014 Allsvenskan champions Malmö FF and the 2013–14 Svenska Cupen champions IF Elfsborg. The match was IF Elfsborg's second in the competition and their first since 2007. It was Malmö FF's second successive appearance and third in total, it was also the first time that the competition was hosted at Malmö Stadion and the first time the competition was hosted at an alternative home venue.
The 2015 season was Malmö FF's 104th in existence, their 80th season in Allsvenskan and their 15th consecutive season in the league. They competed in Allsvenskan where they finished fifth, 2014–15 Svenska Cupen where they were knocked out in the quarter-finals and the 2015–16 UEFA Champions League where they were knocked out in the group stage. Malmö FF also participated in one competition in which the club continued playing in for the 2016 season, 2015–16 Svenska Cupen. The season began with the group stage of Svenska Cupen on 22 February, league play started on 6 April and concluded on 31 October. The season concluded with the last Champions League group stage match on 8 December.
The 2018 season was Malmö FF's 107th in existence, their 83rd season in Allsvenskan and their 18th consecutive season in the league. They competed in Allsvenskan where they finished third, 2017–18 Svenska Cupen where they finished as runners-up, and the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League where they were knocked out in the third qualifying round. Malmö FF also participated in two competitions in which the club continued playing in for the 2019 season, the 2018–19 Svenska Cupen and the 2018–19 UEFA Europa League. The season began with the group stage of Svenska Cupen on 18 February, league play started on 2 April and concluded on 11 November. The season concluded with the last UEFA Europa League group stage match on 13 December.
