Kim Hellberg

Kim Hellberg
Personal information
Full name Kim Alexander Hellberg
Date of birth (1988-02-01) 1 February 1988
Place of birth Norrköping, Sweden
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[1]
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Middlesbrough (head coach)
Youth career
Smedby AIS
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2008 Kuddby IF
2008–2009 Ringarums IF
2009–2012 Dagsbergs IF
2012–2013 Kimstad GoIF 5 (0)
2014 Dagsbergs IF 2 (0)
2020 Dagsbergs IF 1 (0)
Managerial career
2011–2012 Kimstad GoIF
2013–2016 Kuddby IF
2016–2019 IF Sylvia
2021–2023 IFK Värnamo
2023–2025 Hammarby IF
2025– Middlesbrough
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Kim Alexander Hellberg (born 1 February 1988) is a Swedish professional football manager and former player who is the current head coach of EFL Championship club Middlesbrough.

He played as a midfielder in Sweden's lower divisions and began coaching during his playing career. In 2018, he led IF Sylvia to promotion to the third-tier Ettan. He was appointed assistant manager of Allsvenskan club IFK Norrköping in 2020, and at the end of the following year was named in his first top-flight head coach job at IFK Värnamo. He led Hammarby IF to consecutive runners-up positions in 2024 and 2025.

Playing career

Born and raised in Norrköping, Hellberg played football in the Swedish lower leagues with clubs including Kuddby IF and Dagsbergs IF.[2] While playing, Hellberg started his coaching career with Kimstad GoIF in 2011 at age 23,[3][4] winning Division 5 in his debut season.[4]

Coaching career

Early career

In 2013, Hellberg was appointed as the head coach of Kuddby IF. In just three seasons, he led Kuddby from Division 5 to Division 3.[5]

In 2017, Hellberg joined IF Sylvia in Division 2, Sweden's fourth tier.[6] In 2018, his second season in charge of the club, he led the side to a promotion to Ettan.[7][8]

On 4 January 2020, Hellberg joined Allsvenskan club IFK Norrköping as an assistant coach to Jens Gustafsson.[5] He also joined his father Stefan Hellberg in the coaching staff.[9] On 10 April 2021, Hellberg signed a new two-year contract with the club, continuing as an assistant to new head coach Rikard Norling.[10]

IFK Värnamo

On 6 December 2021, Hellberg was appointed as the new head coach of IFK Värnamo, signing a two-year contract ahead of the first ever Allsvenskan season in the club's history.[11][12] In 2022, Värnamo surprisingly finished 10th in the Allsvenskan table, avoiding relegation by 20 points.[13]

Ahead of the 2023 season, Hellberg attracted interest from fellow Allsvenskan club IFK Göteborg, but he decided to turned down the move.[14] Instead, he led Värnamo to a 5th place in Allsvenskan, after a strong second half of the campaign.[15] At the end of the season, Hellberg was nominated for the award Allsvenskan Manager of the Year, but the prize ultimately went to Jimmy Thelin from IF Elfsborg.[16][17] On 17 November 2023, it was announced that Hellberg would leave Värnamo at the end of the year at the expiration of his contract.[18]

Hammarby IF

On 14 December 2023, Hellberg was announced as the new head coach of Hammarby IF in Allsvenskan, signing a three-year contract.[19] He led the club to consecutive second-place finishes in the league.[3]

In November 2025, Hellberg had talks with EFL Championship club Swansea City.[3] Days later, he was interviewed for the vacancy at Middlesbrough in the same division, with his appointment being subject to receiving a work permit.[20]

Middlesbrough

On 24 November 2025, Hellberg was appointed head coach of EFL Championship club Middlesbrough.[21] He joined after Middlesbrough moved to secure his services ahead of Swansea City, who had been close to appointing him, with the club reportedly paying around £250,000 in compensation to release him from his contract at Hammarby.[22] On 29 November 2025, Hellberg won his first game in charge of Middlesbrough, with a 2-1 home victory over Derby County in the EFL Championship. This was followed up by a 4-1 away win at Hull City, a 2-1 away win at Charlton Athletic, and a 3-1 home win against Queens Park Rangers for a 100% start.

Managerial statistics

As of match played 20 December 2025
Team From To Record Ref.
G W D L Win %
IF Sylvia 1 December 2016 31 December 2019 30 11 5 14 036.67 [23]
IFK Värnamo 6 December 2021 17 November 2023 65 26 13 26 040.00 [23]
Hammarby IF 14 December 2023 24 November 2025 73 41 15 17 056.16 [23]
Middlesbrough 26 November 2025 5 4 0 1 080.00
Total 173 82 33 58 047.40 —

Honours

As a player

Dagsbergs IF

As a manager

Kimstad GoIF
Kuddby IF
IF Sylvia
Individual

References

  1. ^ "Kim Hellberg - Manager Profile". FC Tools Hub. Retrieved 27 November 2025.
  2. ^ "Next Hearts boss: who are Scandinavian linked duo Arnar Gunnlaugsson & Kim Hellberg?". Edinburgh Evening News. 24 September 2024. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  3. ^ a b c "Swans hold talks with Hellberg over manager role". BBC Sport. 13 November 2025. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Why Swansea City have moved for Kim Hellberg and the exciting expertise he possesses". WalesOnline. 14 November 2025. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Kim Hellberg ansluter till IFK Norrköping" (in Swedish). IFK Norrköping. 4 January 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  6. ^ "Hellberg klar som tränare för Sylvia" (in Swedish). Norrköpings Tidningar. 8 November 2016. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  7. ^ "Sylviaduon framröstad till fina utmärkelser" (in Swedish). Norrköpings Tidningar. 25 October 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  8. ^ "Samarbetet med IF Sylvia fortsätter 2021" (in Swedish). IFK Norrköping. 20 January 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  9. ^ "Pensionär Hellberg ser sig inte längre på planen" (in Swedish). Norrköpings Tidningar. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  10. ^ "Kim Hellberg förlänger med IFK Norrköping" (in Swedish). IFK Norrköping. 10 April 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  11. ^ "Kim Hellberg ny huvudtränare i IFK Värnamo" (in Swedish). IFK Värnamo. 6 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  12. ^ "Kim Hellberg lämnar IFK Norrköping" (in Swedish). IFK Värnamo. 6 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  13. ^ "Så ska IFK Värnamo klara sig i allsvenskan utan förra årets skyttekung" (in Swedish). Sveriges Television. 1 April 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  14. ^ "Kim Hellberg berättar om varför han nobbade Blåvitt" (in Swedish). Expressen. 26 April 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  15. ^ "Säsongens sista Månadens spelare och tränare hamnar i Malmö, Värnamo och Västerås" (in Swedish). Svensk Elitfotboll. 7 November 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  16. ^ "Följande spelare är nominerade när Allsvenskans Stora Pris fyller tio år" (in Swedish). Svensk Elitfotboll. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  17. ^ "Spelare från Malmö FF och IF Elfsborg dominerade på Allsvenskans Stora Pris" (in Swedish). Svensk Elitfotboll. 14 November 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  18. ^ "Tack för allt Kim Hellberg!" (in Swedish). IFK Värnamo. 17 November 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  19. ^ "Kim Hellberg Hammarbys nye huvudtränare" (in Swedish). Hammarby Fotboll. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  20. ^ Lanigan, Adam; Law, Rob (19 November 2025). "Boro set to appoint Hellberg as head coach". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  21. ^ "Kim Hellberg Appointed Boro Head Coach". www.mfc.co.uk. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  22. ^ Taylor, Louise (24 November 2025). "Middlesbrough appoint 37-year-old manager Kim Hellberg to boost promotion push". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  23. ^ a b c "Kim Hellberg profile and stats". Sofascore. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  24. ^ "Månadens Tränare, Vinnare 2024". Allsvenskan. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
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