Fresno Fuego alum Elliott Hord signs with Swedish pro league

A former Fresno Fuego player has chosen to continue his professional career overseas.

Ex-Fuego midfielder Elliott Hord signed with Yxhults IK (pronounced Eck-celts) of Sweden’s third division last week.

Hord, who turns 24 on Thursday, played with the Fuego this season at midfield and defense and turned in one assist in 11 matches.

After the Premier Development League season, the Fresno native worked out for the USL PRO Tulsa Roughnecks before spending the previous few weeks training throughout Europe.

Hord, who was a standout at Bullard High and played four years at UC Davis, said he caught the eye of Yxhults IK management during a scrimmage and was offered a contract that evening. He is signed with the team through October.

“It’s definitely a different perspective. The game is played more tactical and technical and it’s not as pacey,” Hord said in a phone call Sunday.

He’s also transitioning to the language barrier, though a lot of his Swedish teammates grew up learning English in grade school.

“It’s been pretty interesting,” he said. “There’s still lots of Swedish spoken on the field and at training. It’s going to take some time getting used to.”

This story was originally published August 9, 2015 at 7:39 PM with the headline "Fresno Fuego alum Elliott Hord signs with Swedish pro league."