Who's who in Sweden's world cup football team?
Sweden sailed through to the World Cup semi-final on Friday, putting the World Cup title within sight. Here's a guide to some of the stars to keep an eye on when the team takes on Spain on Tuesday.
Amanda Ilestedt
The 30-year-old Arsenal defender has been Sweden's surprise top goal scorer so far this world cup, with one goal against South Africa, two against Italy and one against Spain.
Ilestedt is from Sölvesborg, Blekinge, on Sweden's southeast coast, first playing for Karlskrona FF, then Malmö, before joining the German club Turbine Potsdam in 2017, after which she played for Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain before moving to Arsenal on June 27th this year.
Shirt: 13
Sweden's Amanda Ilestedt celebrates at the end of the Women's World Cup quarterfinal between Japan and Sweden. Photo: AP/Abbie Parr
Fridolina Rolfö
The 26-year-old Barcelona player is just behind Ilestedt on goals, with two to her credit this tournament. Born in Hanhals in Halland, she played at two smaller clubs around Gothenburg before joining the Mölndal-based Damallsvenskan team Jitex BK in 2011. She was then signed by Bayern Munich, moving to Wolfsburg alongside Blomqvist in 2021 and getting signed to Barcelona in 2021.
She was ranked 19th in the Guardian newspaper's list of the 100 best female footballers in the world, published in December 2022, the highest ranking of her Swedish team members, with the newspaper describing her as "deadly playing down the left".
Shirt:18
Swedish forward Fridolina Rolfö controls the ball during Sweden's match against Japan on August 11th. Photo: Saeed Khan/AFP
Rebecka Blomqvist
Equalling Rolfö, with two goals scored so far, the 26-year-old Blomqvist is always one to watch. From Uddevalla, outside Gothenburg, Blomqvist's first Damallsvenskan team was Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC, after which she signed to Germany's VfL Wolfsburg in 2020.
Shirt: 15
Rebecka Blomqvist (right) during Sweden's match against Argentina on August 2nd. Photo: Saeed Khan/AFP
Filippa Angeldal
This 26-year-old Manchester City player scored the first world cup goal of her career on Saturday when she shot in Sweden's winning penalty shot against Japan.
Playing as a midfielder, Angeldal, from Uppsala, joined the Damallsvenskan when she was signed to Hammarby in 2016, joining Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC in 2019. She first played for Sweden in a match against South Korea in 2018.
Shirt:16
Swedish midfielder Filippa Angeldal celebrates the team's victory against Japan on August 11th. Photo: Saeed Khan/APF
Stina Blackstenius
The 27-year-old Arsenal player Stina Blackstenius has been nominated "Forward of the Year" five times in Sweden, but has so far scored just one goal in this world cup. Team coach Peter Gerhardsson has, however, come to her defence, saying that even though it may not be that visible to most spectators, she had been doing "a great job up front holding up the back line".
Blackstenius was ranked 49th in The Guardian newspaper's list of the 100 best female footballers in the world, with the newspaper describing her as "a creative force" who has excelled at lining up goals for others, even though her own goals had, as of December 2022, "dried up of late".
Shirt: 11
Caroline Seger (captain)
With 18 years as a national footballer behind her, Seger is Sweden's captain. When she was called out during the kick-off match against South Africa on July 27th, she became the first ever Swedish player to play in five world cups, and, at 38 years old, the oldest. She has missed the rest of the tournament's matches due to injury, but was back in training this week.
Shirt: 17
Sweden midfielder and team captain Caroline Seger (left) celebrates victory against Italy on August 2nd. Photo: Marty Melville/AFP
Zećira Mušović
The 27-year-old Chelsea goalkeeper may rival even Ilestedt as Sweden's player of the tournament. Mušović has spent most of her five years in the national team on the benches, waiting for goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl to retire. She then had to win over her teammate Jennifer Falk to become the team's goalkeeper.
Now she's finally had her chance to shine, she has been impressive, stopping goal after goal in Sweden's match against the US on August 6th.
Mušović was born to Bosnian parents in Falun in Dalarna, but grew up in Skåne, joining the Malmö club FC Rosengård in 2012.
Shirt: 1
Sweden's goalkeeper Zećira Mušović celebrates with teammates during the match against the US. Photo: William West/AFP
Kosovare Asllani (vice-captain)
The 34-year-old AC Milan midfielder serves as the deputy captain to Seger and is renowned for her speed and technique. Born in Kristianstad, Skåne, to Kosovan Albanian parents, Asllani started her Damallsvenskan career at Linköpings FC in 2007, before spells at Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City and Real Madrid.
She shot the goal against Ireland that qualified Sweden for this year's tournament, but has not yet scored in the tournament itself.
Asslani was ranked 67th in The Guardian newspaper's list of the 100 best female footballers in the world, with the newspaper describing her as Sweden's "most influential player" in The Euro 2022 tournament, and praising her "close control, skill and footwork".
Shirt: 9
Swedish midfielder Kosovare Asllani keeps the ball from US players on August 6th. Photo: William West/AFP
Magdalena Eriksson (3rd captain)
This 29-year-old Bayern Munich defender is one of the most important elements of Sweden's team. She was ranked 43rd in the Guardian newspaper's list of the 100 best female footballers in the world, with the newspaper praising for her "consistency", for being "a real leader" and for being "so good on the ball and able to influence attacks".
Eriksson is a formidable defender and serves as the third captain in Sweden's team.
Shirt: 6
Swedish defender Magdalena Eriksson tackles a Japanese player on August 11th. Photo: Michael Bradley/AFP
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Amanda Ilestedt
The 30-year-old Arsenal defender has been Sweden's surprise top goal scorer so far this world cup, with one goal against South Africa, two against Italy and one against Spain.
Ilestedt is from Sölvesborg, Blekinge, on Sweden's southeast coast, first playing for Karlskrona FF, then Malmö, before joining the German club Turbine Potsdam in 2017, after which she played for Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain before moving to Arsenal on June 27th this year.
Shirt: 13
Fridolina Rolfö
The 26-year-old Barcelona player is just behind Ilestedt on goals, with two to her credit this tournament. Born in Hanhals in Halland, she played at two smaller clubs around Gothenburg before joining the Mölndal-based Damallsvenskan team Jitex BK in 2011. She was then signed by Bayern Munich, moving to Wolfsburg alongside Blomqvist in 2021 and getting signed to Barcelona in 2021.
She was ranked 19th in the Guardian newspaper's list of the 100 best female footballers in the world, published in December 2022, the highest ranking of her Swedish team members, with the newspaper describing her as "deadly playing down the left".
Shirt:18
Rebecka Blomqvist
Equalling Rolfö, with two goals scored so far, the 26-year-old Blomqvist is always one to watch. From Uddevalla, outside Gothenburg, Blomqvist's first Damallsvenskan team was Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC, after which she signed to Germany's VfL Wolfsburg in 2020.
Shirt: 15
Filippa Angeldal
This 26-year-old Manchester City player scored the first world cup goal of her career on Saturday when she shot in Sweden's winning penalty shot against Japan.
Playing as a midfielder, Angeldal, from Uppsala, joined the Damallsvenskan when she was signed to Hammarby in 2016, joining Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC in 2019. She first played for Sweden in a match against South Korea in 2018.
Shirt:16
Stina Blackstenius
The 27-year-old Arsenal player Stina Blackstenius has been nominated "Forward of the Year" five times in Sweden, but has so far scored just one goal in this world cup. Team coach Peter Gerhardsson has, however, come to her defence, saying that even though it may not be that visible to most spectators, she had been doing "a great job up front holding up the back line".
Blackstenius was ranked 49th in The Guardian newspaper's list of the 100 best female footballers in the world, with the newspaper describing her as "a creative force" who has excelled at lining up goals for others, even though her own goals had, as of December 2022, "dried up of late".
Shirt: 11
Caroline Seger (captain)
With 18 years as a national footballer behind her, Seger is Sweden's captain. When she was called out during the kick-off match against South Africa on July 27th, she became the first ever Swedish player to play in five world cups, and, at 38 years old, the oldest. She has missed the rest of the tournament's matches due to injury, but was back in training this week.
Shirt: 17
Zećira Mušović
The 27-year-old Chelsea goalkeeper may rival even Ilestedt as Sweden's player of the tournament. Mušović has spent most of her five years in the national team on the benches, waiting for goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl to retire. She then had to win over her teammate Jennifer Falk to become the team's goalkeeper.
Now she's finally had her chance to shine, she has been impressive, stopping goal after goal in Sweden's match against the US on August 6th.
Mušović was born to Bosnian parents in Falun in Dalarna, but grew up in Skåne, joining the Malmö club FC Rosengård in 2012.
Shirt: 1
Kosovare Asllani (vice-captain)
The 34-year-old AC Milan midfielder serves as the deputy captain to Seger and is renowned for her speed and technique. Born in Kristianstad, Skåne, to Kosovan Albanian parents, Asllani started her Damallsvenskan career at Linköpings FC in 2007, before spells at Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City and Real Madrid.
She shot the goal against Ireland that qualified Sweden for this year's tournament, but has not yet scored in the tournament itself.
Asslani was ranked 67th in The Guardian newspaper's list of the 100 best female footballers in the world, with the newspaper describing her as Sweden's "most influential player" in The Euro 2022 tournament, and praising her "close control, skill and footwork".
Shirt: 9
Magdalena Eriksson (3rd captain)
This 29-year-old Bayern Munich defender is one of the most important elements of Sweden's team. She was ranked 43rd in the Guardian newspaper's list of the 100 best female footballers in the world, with the newspaper praising for her "consistency", for being "a real leader" and for being "so good on the ball and able to influence attacks".
Eriksson is a formidable defender and serves as the third captain in Sweden's team.
Shirt: 6
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