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Most Improved defenders in Eliteserien 2026

The most improved defenders in Eliteserien in 2026, ranked on Field Insider.

Most improved goalkeepers in EliteserienMost improved midfielders in EliteserienMost improved attackers in EliteserienBest defenders in EliteserienMost in-form defenders in EliteserienTop-scoring defenders in Eliteserien

At a glance

D. Koswal of Sandefjord is the standout for raw talent across defenders in Eliteserien, with a Field Insider Rating of 65.8, and F. Sjøvold has been the form player this season, grading 61.8, and H. Heggheim leads the scoring with 5 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: I. Vådebu has improved his Season rating most, up +46.7 on last season. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, F. Sjøvold of Bodo/Glimt is the most valuable name in this group at 14.8.

Best talent
D. Koswal65.8RTG
Sandefjord
In form
F. Sjøvold61.8SsN
Bodo/Glimt
Rising potential
I. Vådebu+16.8RTG
Tromso · 24/25→25/26
Most improved
I. Vådebu+46.7SsN
Tromso · 24/25→25/26
Top scorer
H. Heggheim5goals
Viking
Most valuable
F. Sjøvold14.8val
Bodo/Glimt
50 players · ranked by most improvedCustomise →
PlayerTeam
1I. VådebuCentre-backTromso23+46.7
24/25→25/26
50275%4510.6%
2L. RangerFull-backLillestrom27+32.4
23/24→25/26
45175.2%3850.2%
3H. HeggheimFull-backViking25+29.7
24/25→25/26
4118.8%474.5%
4A. WarnerydFull-backTromso21+28.8
24/25→25/26
4285%5062.1%
5A. HiimFull-backSarpsborg 08 FF24+24.8
24/25→25/26
38611.3%4530.8%
6O. BjørtuftCentre-backBodo/Glimt27+24.1
24/25→25/26
5325.1%416%
7F. SjøvoldFull-backBodo/Glimt23+24
24/25→25/26
6228%51±0%
8M. RosethCentre-backViking28+23.7
24/25→25/26
34225.7%358.3%
9D. SchneiderCentre-backKFUM Oslo24+23.6
24/25→25/26
367100%4330.5%
10F. PedersenCentre-backSandefjord23+23.3
24/25→25/26
34209.9%4411.8%
11S. HansenFull-backMolde24+22.6
24/25→25/26
2837.3%4737.1%
12I. MäättäFull-backBodo/Glimt25+20.8
24/25→25/26
31187.9%411%
13E. SaunesCentre-backKFUM Oslo28+20.5
24/25→25/26
38±0%351.1%
14K. FinnssonFull-backValerenga27+19.5
24/25→25/26
23573.5%385%
15H. FalchenerFull-backViking23+19.3
24/25→25/26
2237.6%4411.8%
16R. GabrielsenCentre-backLillestrom34+18
24/25→25/26
3225.7%1664.9%
17B. UtvikCentre-backSarpsborg 08 FF30+17.5
24/25→25/26
32212.6%2732.5%
18D. EidFull-backFredrikstad27+17.4
24/25→25/26
2720%371.6%
19S. MørkCentre-backSandefjord25+16.7
24/25→25/26
3638.5%420.9%
20M. UglandFull-backStart26+16.4
23/24→25/26
26116.5%3521.5%
21F. HolméCentre-backFredrikstad25+16.2
24/25→25/26
26182.8%4442.5%
22V. EgeliFull-backSandefjord22+15.1
24/25→25/26
2967%4612.7%
23F. ElkærFull-backLillestrom24+13.9
24/25→25/26
1817.9%4222.1%
24S. FossCentre-backLillestrom27+13.2
24/25→25/26
1713.7%3224.3%
25S. HaramCentre-backAalesund21+12.7
24/25→25/26
157.2%3920.3%
26T. NemčíkCentre-backRosenborg25+12.6
24/25→25/26
407.2%434.1%
27C. NiyukuriFull-backSarpsborg 08 FF26+12.4
24/25→25/26
3168.5%4114.9%
28J. HjorthFull-backKFUM Oslo25+11.1
24/25→25/26
202.5%404.5%
29G. StensnessCentre-backViking27+8.8
24/25→25/26
25483.3%3929.9%
30A. Hammer KjelsenCentre-backAalesund20+8.8
24/25→25/26
158.2%4121.2%
31Y. PaintsilFull-backLillestrom27+7.8
24/25→25/26
19910.5%3319.5%
32João BarrosCentre-backHam-Kam25+5.9
24/25→25/26
9203.4%3725.9%
33S. NilsenFull-backHam-Kam29+5.7
22/23→25/26
741.7%2311.1%
34T. GuddalFull-backTromso24+5.6
24/25→25/26
4813.3%443.3%
35D. UlvestadCentre-backKristiansund BK37+5.4
24/25→25/26
216.2%1212.7%
36F. BerglieCentre-backKFUM Oslo29+5.2
24/25→25/26
203200%2614.8%
37F. BjørkanFull-backBodo/Glimt28+4.8
24/25→25/26
4015.2%337%
38B. RisaCentre-backMolde28+4.5
24/25→25/26
1924.8%3320.7%
39F. SjølstadCentre-backHam-Kam32+3.7
24/25→25/26
2216.8%194.9%
40I. NäsbergCentre-backValerenga30+3.6
24/25→25/26
143.7%2417.2%
41H. AleesamiCentre-backBodo/Glimt35+3.6
24/25→25/26
389.3%135.6%
42V. SkjærvikFull-backTromso26+2.5
24/25→25/26
424.3%397.5%
43K. HaugenFull-backViking32+1.7
24/25→25/26
2043%209.1%
44X. LambrixCentre-backSandefjord26+1
24/25→25/26
31156.6%399.3%
45R. HoltenCentre-backSandefjord21+0.5
24/25→25/26
54500%371.7%
46H. RøstenCentre-backKFUM Oslo21-0.6
24/25→25/26
272.7%3611.2%
47S. JarlCentre-backValerenga26-0.6
24/25→25/26
1318.7%339.7%
48J. SoltvedtFull-backBrann31-0.8
24/25→25/26
21108.8%2510.1%
49A. Kiil OlsenCentre-backValerenga25-1.4
24/25→25/26
206.6%4211.8%
50J. HusebøCentre-backStart27-1.5
24/25→25/26
1218.8%297%