The floorball seasons may have come to an abrupt end but that doesn’t mean we won’t be giving you content to make it to the next season.
In this article we list 10 of the most epic floorball matches from way back in 2013 to 2020. All games can be watched on YouTube in your own time.
Ready? Let’s go!
10 – Old but Gold: Can You Recognize the Players From This SSL Final?
Swedish SSL finals 12/13 between Falun and Dalen: It’s the oldest match of this list and the video quality may not be of current standards but don’t let this shy you away from watching this epic game. Falun was far from the powerhouse they are today with their youngest talents far from being in their prime. However, in the years prior, the team managed to compete in the SSL with increasing success, making it further into the playoffs as the seasons progressed. In the quarterfinals they dealt swiftly with Caperiotäby, a former powerhouse with their best days in rearview. However, the biggest surprise and shock followed in the semifinals where they beat Pixbo Wallenstam with 3-1 in games, by which they qualified themselves for their first-ever finals. Their opponents were NOT 3-times reigning champions Storvreta but the team that kicked them out. It was Dalen to appear in their second SSL finals in a row meeting an unlikely, but ever so hungry, Falun.
Bonus: for Ketil Kronberg fans, we found a 12-minute video of this match with only footage of his plays.
#9 – Champions Cup Whirlwind – Classic vs Wiler-Ersigen
Champions Cup 2020 semifinals between Classic and Wiler-Ersigen: most recent game in this list is one that I wrote an extensive guide about for our patrons. And definitely the game that stood out, before as well as afterward, was the Classic vs Wiler-Ersigen semifinals.
The reason for such a bold statement was that it had everything you can ask for in a game. Before the season Joonas Pylsy and Krister Savonen (#3 and #4 best players in the world respectively) changed Classic for Wiler-Ersigen which was exactly the match-up of the semifinals of the Champions Cup. It would be a solid premise for the typical Greek tragedy. Classic had been undefeated for the entirety of the season and were regarded as the favorites but make no mistake, Wiler-Ersigen was there to win it. How the game played out, you can watch for yourself:
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#8 – Big Step in the History of Floorball: The Sport Makes Its The World Games Reappearance
TWG2017 finals between Switzerland and Sweden: World Games 2017 doesn’t feel like that long ago but it’s already three years since this milestone event happened. Why do we call it a milestone event? Well, because floorball made its reappearance after 20 years as an official sport which is a huge step for the sport in general.
Apart from the importance of floorball participating in such an event, the tournament is also remembered fondly because of its intense finale with many goals and a true rollercoaster. If we can have a final like this for TWG 2021 (which will be organized in… 2022), then we’re very happy.
#7 – Can Switzerland Take Revenge on Sweden?
WFC2018 semifinals between Switzerland and Sweden: Sweden meets Switzerland game, this time one year later. After the nailbiter TWG finals, was this the time that Switzerland would defeat Sweden? (I realize I just spoiled the last game, sorry!)
There weren’t that many goals in this game. Yet, it is arguably the best game of the tournament (or perhaps the finals?) because of the tension all throughout the game. Sweden seemed vulnerable and Switzerland, under the guidance of head coach David Jansson, knew where to hit their opponents where it hurt the most. But was it enough to take down Sweden?
#6 – “The Miracle of Neuchatel” – Comeback of Comebacks
WFC2019 semifinals between Switzerland and Czech Republic: I can talk about this game all I want, but there is no one to summarize it better than our favorite floorball commentator Olly Hogben (who was kind enough to let us do an interview). This is what he said when Switzerland scored the overtime goal:
“In years to come, they’ll sit in the taverns in this place. They’ll stare at the mountains and raise their glass and talk about the Miracle of Neuchatel.”
What game would ever justify such a quote? For that to know, you’d have to watch the game, I guess. The ending is truly heartbreaking and magnificent at the same time.
#5 – What Ending Will Switzerland’s WFC2019 Fairy Tale Have?
WFC2019 finals between Switzerland and Sweden: Now you’re here with me at the WFC 2019, time to move on to the finals of this memorable edition. Just one day after their impossible comeback the home team was meeting Sweden for an epic gold medal match-up. Seemingly invincible after their semifinals, the Swiss knew they had to play a perfect match against the Swedes to bring their fairy tale journey to a positive end.
The result was a tight, intense game. After the “Miracle of Neuchatel”, the last thing Sweden wanted to do is underestimate their opponents while Switzerland was aware of their position as an underdog and played carefully respecting their opponents. The result was a game that at times looked more like a chess game than a floorball match but it’s the ultimate proof that a floorball game doesn’t need many goals to make it attractive.
#4 – The Start of an Endless Rivalry: Falun and Storvreta Meet in Finals for First Time
Swedish SSL finals 13/14 between Falun and Storvreta: Oh boy, what a game this was! All the players a couple of years younger, and one of the most brilliant matches I have ever seen. All the big names make an appearance. I’m not gonna spoil this game, you’d have to watch it for yourself!
#3 – Another Brilliant El Clásico of Floorball
Swedish SSL finals 18/19 between Falun and Storvreta: Unfortunately, the Swedish SSL came to an abrupt ending with the outbreak of COVID-19 with the crowning of Falun (men) and IKSU (women) as the national champions – since they markedly won the regular season. That means we’d have to go back a year to watch the most recent SSL finals.
And it’s definitely worth your time to sit on the couch and watch this “Finals of Finals”. It’s the match-up that everyone is waiting for, the game I once even dubbed the El Clásico of floorball. It’s also a match-up that never fails to deliver. You know it’s a good game when you know everything is possible, all the time.
#2 – The Game That Changed the Rules
WFC2016 finals between Sweden and Finland: It was the first finals I ever watched live but that doesn’t make it noteworthy by itself. The reason why this final can be remembered is that it was a pretty good match but also because it led to a change in the rules on how we can take penalties.
Before the rules were changed, it was needed under all circumstances to have the ball move in a forward trajectory. However, this was almost impossible to see by the referees in case of a zorro move.
#1 – Another Old but Gold – KAIS Mora vs Djurgården
Swedish SSL finals 13/14 between Mora & Djurgården: SSL game and this time we see Djurgården vs KAIS Mora. Djurgården is perhaps not so well known in 2020 but at the time, it was packed with floorball stars as Emelie Lindström (who held many WFC records), Moa Tschöp and Swedish national team goalkeeper Emelie Frisk. On the other side we find Anna Wijk and Johanna Hultgren as two players who should still ring a bell for the average floorball fan (it’s Wijk who gave Hultgren the deciding assist in the WFC19 finals after all).
Time to grab some popcorn and enjoy a thrilling finals with many goals and young superstars who are still playing on the international scene to this date.
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