Swedish national football team (U-21 men)
Association | Svenska Fotbollförbundet | ||
confederacy | UEFA | ||
Technical sponsor | UMBRO | ||
Head coach | Claes Eriksson | ||
FIFA code | SWE | ||
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Balance sheet | |||
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132 games 66 wins 29 draws 37 losses |
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Successes in tournaments | |||
European Championship | |||
Participation in the finals | 7 ( first : 1986 ) | ||
Best results |
European Champion 2015 |
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(As of September 2008) |
The Swedish U-21 national soccer team is a selection team of Swedish soccer players . It is subject to the Svenska Fotbollförbundet and represents him at the U-21 level , in friendly matches against the national teams of other national associations, but also at the European championship of the continental association UEFA . Eligible to play are players who have not yet reached the age of 21 and who are Swedish citizens . In tournaments, the age at the first qualifying game is decisive.
history
The Swedish U-21 was founded in 1976. The reason for this was the reorganization and regulation of UEFA this year, which lowered the age limit from 23 to 21. Before that there was already a U-23, in which the origins of today's U-21 selection lie.
In 1986 the Swedish team was able to qualify for the finals or the quarter-finals of the European Championship for the first time . After a 1-1 draw in the first leg, the second leg was lost 2-1 to later finalists Italy.
Four years later, at the 1990 European Championship , the Scandinavians managed to take part in a final round for the second time. In the quarter-finals, the team met Czechoslovakia . In the first comparison, the team won 2-1. In the second leg in the home stadium, the game was clearly won 4-0 and the semi-finals were reached for the first time. The opponent in round 2 was the Soviet Union. After a 1: 1 in the first leg, the second comparison was lost 0: 2 and the final was missed.
Two years later, the Swedes succeeded in the surprise: After they happily prevailed in the quarter-finals with a 1: 2 and 1: 0 and only moved into the next round due to the away goals rule, Scotland finished in the semi-finals with an overall result of 1: 0 conquered. In the final, the team then faced Italy. It would have been the first title win for both of them. The Northern Europeans lost the first leg 2-0. Although the second leg could be won 1-0, the final victory and with it the trophy were still missed.
The Swedish federation had to wait until 1998 before the U-21 selection could again take part in a European Championship. But already in the quarterfinals it was over and they lost 1-0 against neighbors Norway . The game for 5th place should be played against Germany . This game was also not won, so that the EM 1998 was seen as a disappointment.
The Swedes were able to qualify again for the U-21 European Football Championship in Germany in 2004 after missing two qualifications. Together with hosts Germany, Switzerland and Portugal , they were drawn into group B. The yellow-blue team won the opening game against Portugal 3-1. Johan Elmander initiated the turnaround with his one-two punch after falling 0-1. On the second day of the match there was a clash with the U-21 team of the DFB. Jon Jönsson and Johan Elmander gave the Northern Europeans a 2-0 lead. Benjamin Auer's goal in the 84th minute came too late, so that the second game could also be won and, based on the results of the other teams, the semi-finals were already made perfect. But even in the last game against the juniors from Switzerland, the Swedes showed no nakedness and won 3-1. Coach Torbjörn Nilsson gave the second set the chance to offer themselves. Markus Rosenberg , only a substitute in the previous two games, scored two goals. As a semi-final opponent, the team faced Serbia on June 5, 2004 in the Oberhausen Niederrhein Stadium . Babis Stefanidis brought his Swedish team into the lead in the 36th minute . Only in stoppage time of the regular game could the Serbs equalize through Milos Maric . In the end, the penalty shoot-out had to decide. Stefanidis, who previously scored in regular time, missed from the penalty spot. In the game for third place, the preliminary round competitor Portugal was opponent for the second time during the tournament. Johan Elmander gave the Swedes the lead before Hugo Viana and Jorge Ribeiro made the Portuguese cheer. Shortly before the end, Markus Rosenberg, who only came on in the 89th minute, equalized again. In extra time, a Carlitos hit decided the game in favor of the southern Europeans.
At the end of the tournament Johan Elmander and the Italian Alberto Gilardino were able to secure the top scorer cannon of the competition.
After the tournament in Germany, the team was taken over by Tommy Söderberg .
In the qualifying group for the U-21 Euro 2006 , the team missed participation and had to give way to the teams from Croatia and Hungary . Two defeats against Iceland were particularly bitter , which also meant the end. Against the second placed in the group, Hungary, the yellow-blue won both games.
Since the next European Championship was to take place in 2007 after the EM 2006 and not every two years as usual, this qualification was played out in a fast-track process. Starting with a preliminary round, over a short group stage with three teams and the play-off games. Sweden needed to get into the group stage first. In group 11 they were drawn from Macedonia and Denmark . There was only one game against each team, so that the teams each had one away and one home right. Sweden won both games and thus moved into the play-offs, where the team met Serbia. The first leg was clearly won 3-0, but the Northern Europeans disappointed in the home second leg and were downright outclassed by a 0-5 defeat.
As the host, the U-21 team took part in the 2009 European Championships and therefore did not need to qualify. As runners-up in the group, the team reached the semi-finals. After the English U-21 national team was able to play a 3-0 lead there, the Swedes managed to force extra time with two goals from later top scorer Marcus Berg and one goal from Ola Toivonen . After this went goalless, the penalty shoot-out decided in favor of the British.
Participation in U-21 European Championships
1978 | not qualified |
1980 | not qualified |
1982 | not qualified |
1984 | not qualified |
1986 | Quarter finals |
1988 | not qualified |
1990 | Semifinals |
1992 | final |
1994 in France | not qualified |
1996 in Spain | not qualified |
1998 in Romania | not qualified |
2000 in Slovakia | not qualified |
2002 in Switzerland | not qualified |
2004 in Germany | 4th Place |
2006 in Portugal | not qualified |
2007 in the Netherlands | not qualified |
2009 in Sweden | Semifinals |
2011 in Denmark | not qualified |
2013 in Israel | not qualified |
2015 in the Czech Republic | European champion |
2017 in Poland | Preliminary round |
2019 in Italy | not qualified |
Trainer
(incomplete)
- Torbjörn Nilsson (2002-2004)
- Tommy Söderberg (2004-2010)
- Claes Eriksson (since 2010)
Former and well-known players
(Selection)
- John Alvbåge
- Johan Dahlin
- Rasmus Elm
- Johan Elmander
- Alexander Farnerud (Former player at VfB Stuttgart )
- Andreas Granqvist
- Samuel Holmén
- Zlatan Ibrahimović
- Mikael Ishak
- Andreas Isaksson
- Kim Källström
- Tobias Linderoth
- Daniel Majstorović (Former player at Fortuna Cologne )
- Per Nilsson (former player at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim , now 1. FC Nürnberg )
- Markus Rosenberg (player at Werder Bremen )
- Fredrik Stenman (Former player at Bayer 04 Leverkusen )
- Ola Toivonen
- Oscar Wendt
- Erkan Zengin
- Marcus Berg (player at Hamburger SV )
- Oscar Lewicki (Former youth player of FC Bayern Munich )