For the 17th time, Innebandymagazinet awards the world’s best floorball player together with national team coaches and international media. Tobias Gustafsson, defender in Storvreta IBK and Sweden’s national team, gets the 2021 award.
This is the first time the Swedish star has won the award.
– It’s fantastic to win this award. I feel enormously honoured. I’m also very proud of myself, that I’ve made it to the level I’m at now, says Gustafsson and continues, I have worked hard and dedicated myself to floorball for many years now and worked a lot on the details of my game to constantly get better and better. I have always wanted to master all parts of the game and I think that is what has made me quite all-round, and I think that in today’s floorball you can’t just be good at one thing, you have to be good both offensively and defensively.
– Above all, I would like to thank my family for all the support and love they have given me over the years. My mom and dad have always been my biggest supporters and have travelled all over the country to see me play. They have always encouraged me to have fun on the pitch. Their support means everything and I know that without them I would never have made it this far, he further mentions.
Why Gustafsson?
Tobias Gustafsson is a complete floorball player with a unique combination of physical strength, play intelligence and technique, a star both defensively and offensively. In 2021, he captained the Swedish national team that won World Championship gold in Helsinki, where Gustafsson spectacularly scored the decisive goal in the final but was also a leading player throughout the tournament. In the club team Storvreta, Tobias Gustafsson is one of the major key players and maintains a consistently high level.
Facts: Tobias Gustafsson
Born: October 17, 1992.
Position: Defender.
Grip: Left.
Current club: Storvreta IBK.
Original club: Hölö/Mörkö IF.
Internationals: 65.
Points in the national team: 57 (32 goals, 25 assists).
Merits: World champion 2021. Swedish champion 2017/18, 2018/19. Champions Cup gold 2020. Player of the year in Sweden 2017/18. Defender of the year in SSL 2017/18. World’s best player 2021.
World’s best floorball players 2021
1. Tobias Gustafsson, Sweden
2. Sami Johansson, Finland
3. Jonathan Edling, Sweden
4. Marek Beneš, Czech Republic
5. Ville Lastikka, Finland
6. Emil Johansson, Sweden
7. Lukáš Bauer, Czech Republic
8. Justus Kainulainen, Finland
9. Hampus Ahrén, Sweden
10. Jan Zaugg, Switzerland
World’s best player year by year
2021: Tobias Gustafsson, Sweden
2020: Kim Nilsson, Sweden
2019: Emil Johansson, Sweden
2018: Eero Kosonen, Finland
2017: Alexander Galante Carlström, Sweden
2016: Alexander Galante Carlström, Sweden
2015: Rasmus Enström, Sweden
2014: Kim Nilsson, Sweden
2013: Rasmus Enström, Sweden
2012: Mika Kohonen, Finland
2011: Mika Kohonen, Finland
2010: Mika Kohonen, Finland
2009: Mika Kohonen, Finland
2008: Magnus Svensson, Sweden
2007: Anders Hellgård, Sweden
2006: Anders Hellgård, Sweden
2005: Mika Kohonen, Finland
About the award
World’s best floorball players have been awarded since year 2005, making this the 17th time. Winners are selected by Innebandymagazinet in cooperation with national team coaches and international media from the most influential floorball countries. Mika Kohonen has been awarded most (5) times.
Source: Innebandymagazinet (Everysport Media Group)
