Sweden will be making their first World Cup finals appearance for 12 years in Russia, and in selecting his squad coach Janne Andersson has largely remained loyal to the players who helped the team through the qualifying competition. In fact, the only two players among the 23 who did not take the field in qualifying are the two back-up goalkeepers.
The only major omission is that of midfielder Jakob Johansson, the man who scored the (heavily deflected) winning goal in the first leg of the play-off against Italy but then suffered cruciate ligament damage in the return leg – an injury that precludes his involvement in Russia.
Furthermore, there is no World Cup comeback for Sweden’s record goalscorer and greatest ever player, Zlatan Ibrahimović. Despite the rumours spread by a mischievous tweet that he would be returning to international duty two years after he played his 116th and final game, there will be no ‘Ibra’ in Russia, which means that not one player in the Swedish squad has previous experience of the World Cup finals.
Some in-depth research on Andersson’s chosen 23 has revealed some interesting facts and figures that you can find below. I’d be interested to hear any comments you have.
I am compiling similar information on the other 13 European teams in the build-up to the Big Kick-off on Thursday, June 14. The pieces on England and France are already on the site.
Here is the Sweden squad with the players’ current club, caps and goals:
Goalkeepers
Robin Olsen (FC Copenhagen, 16/0), Karl-Johan Johansson (Guingamp, 5/0), Kristoffer Nordfeldt (Swansea, 8/0)
Defenders
Ludwig Augustinsson (Werder Bremen, 14/0), Andreas Granqvist (Krasnodar, 70/6), Filip Helander (Bologna, 4/0), Pontus Jansson (Leeds, 14/0), Emil Krafth (Bologna, 11/0), Victor Lindelöf (Manchester United, 19/1), Mikael Lustig (Celtic, 64/6), Martin Olsson (Swansea, 42/5)
Midfielders
Viktor Claesson (Krasnodar, 21/3), Jimmy Durmaz (Toulouse, 44/3), Albin Ekdal (Hamburg, 32/0), Emil Forsberg (Leipzig, 34/6), Oscar Hiljemark (Genoa, 20/2), Sebastian Larsson (Hull, 98/6), Marcus Rohdén (Crotone, 10/1), Gustav Svensson (Seattle, 11/0),
Forwards
Marcus Berg (Al-Ain, 55/18), John Guidetti (Alavés, 20/1), Isaac Kiese Thelin (Waaslend-Beveren, 18/2), Ola Toivonen (Toulouse, 57/13)
The total number of international caps gained by the 23 players is 687. The number of caps gained in competitive fixtures (i.e. World Cup and Euro matches) is 380. The number of caps gained at final tournaments is 41. The number of caps gained at the World Cup finals is 0.
The total number of international goals scored by the 23 players is 73. The number of goals scored in competitive fixtures is 46. The number of goals scored at final tournaments is 1. The number of goals scored at the World Cup finals is 0.
The number of players in the squad appearing at their first final tournament is 8. The number of players appearing at their first World Cup is 23.
There are 14 survivors from the Euro 2016 squad: Olsen, Augustinsson, Granqvist, Jansson, Lindelöf, Lustig, Olsson, Durmaz, Ekdal, Forsberg, Hiljemark, Larsson, Berg and Guidetti
There are 5 survivors from the Euro 2012 squad: Granqvist, Lustig, Olsson, Larsson and Toivonen.
There are 2 survivors from the Euro 2008 squad: Granqvist and Larsson.
Granqvist and Larsson are the only players in the 23 travelling to a fourth final tournament. Two others – Lustig and Olsson – will be representing Sweden in their third.
Larsson has played the most final tournament matches: seven (all at the Euro). Indeed, he is the only member of the squad to have scored a goal at a final tournament – against France in a 2-0 consolation win at Euro 2012.
Only four of the squad members have ever won a match at a final tournament: Granqvist, Olsson, Larsson and Toivonen with one victory apiece (that 2-0 win against France at Euro 2012).
Only two squad members have never played a competitive international: goalkeepers Karl-Johan Johnsson and Kristoffer Nordfeldt.
Six players have appeared in over 25 competitive internationals. Their records are as follows:
Larsson – Pld 56 W28 D11 L17 (of which at final tournaments Pld 7 W1 D1 L5)
Granqvist – Pld 40 W19 D9 L12 (Pld 6 W1 D1 L4)
Lustig – Pld 37 W21 D7 L9 (Pld 3 W0 D1 L2)
Berg – Pld 31 W18 D5 L8 (Pld 3 W0 D1 L2)
Olsson – Pld 30 W16 D4 L10 (Pld 6 W1 D1 L4)
Toivonen – Pld 30 W18 D3 L9 (Pld 2 W1 D0 L1)
Two of the players are unbeaten in competitive internationals: Rohdén (W0 D2) and Helander (W1 D0)
Durmaz has been on the losing side on both of his two final tournament appearances.
Berg is the squad’s leading scorer in competitive internationals, with 14 goals, and is the only one in double figures, with Toivonen next in line on six. Berg also leads the way on World Cup goals with 11 (in 19 appearances), with Forsberg the next best on four (in 12).
Ekdal has the most caps in the squad without scoring an international goal – 32, of which 21 have been in competitive games.
Three squad members started all 12 2018 World Cup qualifiers: Olsen, Granqvist and Forsberg, with Olsen the only one to have been on the field for every minute of the campaign.
Berg was Sweden’s top scorer in 2018 World Cup qualifying with eight goals from a team total of 27. Ten other players found the net, with Forsberg scoring four times and Lustig, Granqvist and Toivonen three times each.
Larsson has played three times against Group F opponents Germany, including both qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup. Granqvist, Lustig and Toivonen have all faced them on two occasions.
Svensson won his second cap, as a substitute, when Sweden beat Group F rivals Mexico 1-0 in a January 2009 friendly in Oakland, California. No other squad member has played against Mexico or South Korea.
None of the 23 players belongs to a Swedish club. Indeed, they are scattered among 11 different nations, including two outside Europe. England is the most popular country of residence, with five players operating there.
Two squad members belong to Russian clubs, Granqvist and Claesson playing together for FC Krasnodar.
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