Euro 2008

Euro 2008 Who’s Who - SWEDEN

By Mike Martin ⋅ May 16, 2008 ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

Coach
Lars LAGERBÄCK: Longest serving national coach at Euro 2008, was co-coach with Tommy Soderberg from 2000 until Euro 2004.

Goalkeepers
Andreas ISAKSSON (Manchester City): Conceded eight at Middlesbrough on the last day of the domestic season. First choice national keeper despite playing second fiddle to Joe Hart at Eastlands.

Rami SHAABAN (Hammarby): Perennial reserve at Arsenal, has an Egyptian father and recites the Koran before matches.

Johan WILAND (Elfsborg): Unlikely to play but has been a regular with his club for seven years. Made his international début at 25.

Defenders
Mikael DORSIN (CFR Cluj): Has just won an improbable league title in Romania, a left-winger now converted into a left back. Has benefitted from Erik Edman’s long-term knee injury.

Andreas GRANQVIST (Wigan Athletic): Not a club regular, a surprise inclusion in Lagerbäck’s squad. A tall centre-back for the future, has only one cap at present.

Petter HANSSON (Rennes): Central defender who has become a regular since the international retirement of Teddy Lucic. At 31, this might be his only chance to star in a major international tournament.

Daniel MAJSTOROVIC (Basel): Sla-headed penalty-taking centre-back of Serb descent. A threat in the air at set pieces, is likely to move on to a bigger club after the Championship.

Olof MELLBERG (Juventus): A hero at Aston Villa, provided travelling fans with free T-shirts at final match of the 2007/08 season at West Ham. Has signed a pre-contractual agreement with the Turin giants. The central defender resigned the captaincy of Sweden after the last World Cup.

Mikael NILSSON (Panathinaikos): Former Southampton full-back who can play on either side of the back four and could fill in for Edman on the left despite Sweden’s seemingly endless search for an international quality right-back. Scored two goals on his début against the Czech Republic.

Fredrik STOOR (Rosenborg): Could start at right-back if Nilsson has to switch flanks.

Midfielders
Niclas ALEXANDERSSON (IFK Gothenburg): Scored against England in the 2002 World Cup. A natural right-winger but filled in at right-back in 2006. Now 36, is sure to retire from international football after the tournament.

Daniel ANDERSSON (Malmö): Brother of former international central defender Patrik and son of another, Roy. Experienced central midfielder with a good pass but scores about once a decade.

Kim KÄLLSTRÖM (Lyon): Left-footed playmaker who likes to lie deep in midfield. Takes a decent free-kick.

Sebastien LARSSON (Birmingham City): Another good free-kick taker, may start wide right in preference to Wilhelmsson or Alexandersson.

Tobias LINDEROTH (Galatasaray): Holding midfielder, once of Everton, who tormented England with his set-piece distribution in the second half of their 2006 World Cup match.

Freddie LJUNGBERG (West Ham Utd): Injured himself late in the season; Lagerbäck is gambling on the fitness of Sweden’s most celebrated midfielder. Will start on the left if fit, or even if he isn’t.

Anders SVENSSON (Elfsborg): One of many former Southampton players to wear the yellow shirt. Could start at the head of the midfield diamond and is another great free-kick taker as Argentina learned in the 2002 World Cup.

Christian WILHELMSSON (Deportivo La Coruña): Has played for Anderlecht, Nantes, Roma, Bolton and Deportivo in the last three seasons and sometimes plays more often for his country than in club football. A pacy winger who threatens in attack.

Strikers
Marcus ALLBÄCK (Copenhagen): Sweden’s top scorer in qualifying, scored a goal at Euro 2004 and World Cup 2006. A strong physical presence, ideally suited to partnering Ibrahimovic.

Johan ELMANDER (Toulouse): Has excelled in the French league but will surely leave if Toulouse are relegated. Not expected to be in the first XI.

Zlatan IBRAHIMOVIC (Internazionale): The footballing Marmite; you either love him or hate him. Ridiculously talented but is too unpredictable for some coaches’ taste. Has a powerful shot and is strong in the air.

Henrik LARSSON (Helsingborgs): Sweden’s greatest player of the modern era is back, again. Retired after the 2002 World Cup but was brought back for one Euro 2004 qualifier, then the finals, when the Swedish media hounded him back into international football. Retired again after the last World Cup but raised loud cheers when his inclusion was announced at the final squad press conference.

Markus ROSENBERG (Werder Bremen): Quick, skilful and scored goals in a tremendously attacking Bremen team but is only really a squad player, especially since Henrik Larsson is back.

Tags: Euro 2008, Lars Lagerback, Sweden

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