Most Improved defenders in Eliteserien 2026
The most improved defenders in Eliteserien in 2026, ranked on Field Insider.
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 77.5, and A. Warneryd 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 +49.7 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 15.5.
50 players · ranked by most improvedCustomise →
| Player | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I. VådebuCentre-back |  Tromso | 23 | +49.7 24/25→25/26 | 53297.7% | 4510.1% |
| 2 | L. CornicFull-back | Tromso | 25 | +42.6 24/25→25/26 | 5538.9% | 461.9% |
| 3 | O. BjørtuftFull-back |  Bodo/Glimt | 27 | +40.6 24/25→25/26 | 7063.7% | 404.2% |
| 4 | F. SjøvoldFull-back | Bodo/Glimt | 23 | +39.7 24/25→25/26 | 7860.5% | 522.2% |
| 5 | H. HeggheimFull-back |  Viking | 25 | +38.4 24/25→25/26 | 4944.3% | 474.9% |
| 6 | A. WarnerydFull-back | Tromso | 21 | +36.5 24/25→25/26 | 50118.9% | 5062.7% |
| 7 | I. MäättäFull-back | Bodo/Glimt | 24 | +35.5 24/25→25/26 | 46325.2% | 421.4% |
| 8 | H. FalchenerFull-back | Viking | 23 | +34.9 24/25→25/26 | 386.2% | 4510.8% |
| 9 | D. SchneiderCentre-back |  KFUM Oslo | 24 | +30.2 24/25→25/26 | 438420% | 4433.2% |
| 10 | L. RangerFull-back |  Lillestrom | 27 | +28.5 23/24→25/26 | 42151.5% | 3951.8% |
| 11 | A. HiimFull-back |  Sarpsborg 08 FF | 23 | +26.6 24/25→25/26 | 40645.3% | 4630.5% |
| 12 | E. SaunesCentre-back | KFUM Oslo | 27 | +25.7 24/25→25/26 | 4413.5% | 35±0% |
| 13 | J. HjorthFull-back | KFUM Oslo | 25 | +24.8 24/25→25/26 | 3464.7% | 405% |
| 14 | M. RosethCentre-back | Viking | 28 | +23.7 24/25→25/26 | 34225.7% | 322.5% |
| 15 | K. FinnssonFull-back |  Valerenga | 27 | +22.7 24/25→25/26 | 26667.6% | 4115.3% |
| 16 | F. PedersenCentre-back |  Sandefjord | 23 | +20.8 24/25→25/26 | 32187.4% | 4413.3% |
| 17 | D. EidFull-back |  Fredrikstad | 27 | +19.5 24/25→25/26 | 2913.7% | 408.7% |
| 18 | H. AleesamiCentre-back | Bodo/Glimt | 35 | +19.2 24/25→25/26 | 5354.7% | 1516.7% |
| 19 | T. NemčíkCentre-back |  Rosenborg | 25 | +18.1 24/25→25/26 | 4622% | 422.7% |
| 20 | R. GabrielsenCentre-back | Lillestrom | 34 | +17.1 24/25→25/26 | 3122.1% | 1775.5% |
| 21 | B. UtvikFull-back | Sarpsborg 08 FF | 30 | +17 24/25→25/26 | 32207.8% | 2732.5% |
| 22 | S. HansenFull-back |  Start | 24 | +16.3 24/25→25/26 | 22301.9% | 3910.9% |
| 23 | F. HolméFull-back | Fredrikstad | 25 | +15.5 24/25→25/26 | 26175.3% | 4340.2% |
| 24 | K. HaugenFull-back | Viking | 32 | +15.5 24/25→25/26 | 332.6% | 208.2% |
| 25 | G. StensnessCentre-back | Viking | 27 | +14.7 24/25→25/26 | 30623.8% | 4031.6% |
| 26 | S. MørkCentre-back | Sandefjord | 25 | +14.7 24/25→25/26 | 3430.9% | 42±0% |
| 27 | T. GuddalFull-back | Tromso | 24 | +14 24/25→25/26 | 5633.3% | 467.8% |
| 28 | V. EgeliFull-back | Sandefjord | 22 | +13.5 24/25→25/26 | 2858% | 4714.2% |
| 29 | R. HoltenCentre-back | Sandefjord | 21 | +13.2 24/25→25/26 | 1717200% | 361.4% |
| 30 | V. SkjærvikFull-back | Tromso | 25 | +12.9 24/25→25/26 | 5230.3% | 432.9% |
| 31 | M. UglandFull-back | Start | 26 | +12.5 23/24→25/26 | 2284.3% | 3522.1% |
| 32 | S. HaramCentre-back |  Aalesund | 21 | +11.9 24/25→25/26 | 141.4% | 4023.4% |
| 33 | A. Hammer KjelsenCentre-back | Aalesund | 20 | +11.1 24/25→25/26 | 17194.7% | 3919.8% |
| 34 | D. De RoeveFull-back |  Brann | 22 | +10.5 24/25→25/26 | 2816.2% | 442.9% |
| 35 | I. NäsbergCentre-back | Valerenga | 30 | +10.2 24/25→25/26 | 2153% | 2523.2% |
| 36 | C. NiyukuriFull-back | Sarpsborg 08 FF | 26 | +9.6 24/25→25/26 | 2853% | 3911% |
| 37 | F. BjørkanFull-back | Bodo/Glimt | 28 | +9.2 24/25→25/26 | 445.8% | 373.1% |
| 38 | F. BerglieCentre-back | KFUM Oslo | 29 | +8.7 24/25→25/26 | 233783.3% | 2513.5% |
| 39 | F. SjølstadCentre-back |  Ham-Kam | 32 | +8.3 24/25→25/26 | 2741.1% | 206% |
| 40 | Y. PaintsilFull-back | Lillestrom | 27 | +4.9 24/25→25/26 | 16757.9% | 3318.8% |
| 41 | J. KitolanoFull-back | Lillestrom | 26 | +4.6 24/25→25/26 | 1265.7% | 294.2% |
| 42 | H. RøstenCentre-back | KFUM Oslo | 21 | +4.2 24/25→25/26 | 7±0% | 4229.6% |
| 43 | P. MetcalfeFull-back | Ham-Kam | 27 | +4.1 24/25→25/26 | 3175.6% | 365.2% |
| 44 | H. StenevikFull-back |  Molde | 26 | +3.4 24/25→25/26 | 3269% | 389.4% |
| 45 | M. CeïdeCentre-back | Rosenborg | 24 | +2.9 24/25→25/26 | 35±0% | 407.9% |
| 46 | B. RisaCentre-back | Molde | 28 | +1.9 24/25→25/26 | 167.4% | 3320.3% |
| 47 | D. UlvestadCentre-back |  Kristiansund BK | 37 | +1.8 24/25→25/26 | 1822.1% | 129% |
| 48 | J. NorheimCentre-back | Start | 31 | +1.7 24/25→25/26 | 24492.5% | 2168% |
| 49 | A. PereiraFull-back | Rosenborg | 26 | -1 24/25→25/26 | 2326.9% | 355.1% |
| 50 | S. OttesenFull-back | Lillestrom | 25 | -1 24/25→25/26 | 253.9% | 3926.2% |