Sweden

Despite finishing second in Group E, the Swedes qualified automatically for Euro 2012 as the best of the runners-up. Sweden definitely deserved to escape the play-offs having obtained 24 points, only Germany, Netherlands and Italy gained more. They were also the third highest scorers in qualifying, netting 31 times in 10 games. The bright yellow shirts of Swedish fans provide a colourful backdrop to colourful games. Only twice in the last two years have they drawn a football match, once against Germany, another against co-hosts and fellow Group D occupants, Ukraine. Other results include a 3-2 victory against the Dutch and a 5-0 thrashing of fellow Scandinavians Finland. In November, they lost in a friendly to England thanks to a rare Gareth Barry goal meaning that come summer France will be the only nation in their group who they have not faced within the past year. This knowledge and experience could prove vital for the Swedes. Zlatan Ibrahimovic leads the line and captains the side. There are rumours that the lanky charismatic Swede could be making a summer switch to Manchester City for a menial wage of £300,000 a week after the tournament but don’t expect that to distract him. He was Sweden’s top scorer in qualifying and certainly has the ability to cause huge problems for the opposition defence. Former Bolton striker Johan Elmander could partner him up front. With probably the most experienced midfielder in the tournament Anders Svensson occupying the centre of the park. At the age of 35 he has 126 caps for his national side. He will take the set-pieces and turn his former left-wing attacking role into a more central, slower paced, playmaker. Svensson is the Ryan Giggs of the Swedish team. If that was not enough experience though Kim Kallstrom (90 caps), Christian Wilhelmsson (72 caps) and Olaf Mellberg (112 caps) add a little more. Kallstrom will attempt to add to his 3 goals in qualifying as Mellberg will provide a commanding presence in the heart of the Swedish defence. A Premier League trio of comparably inexperienced players could also start for Erik Hamren’s team. Sunderland’s Seb Larrson, West Brom’s Jonas Olsson and Blackburn Rover’s Martin Olsson all have the potential to be in the starting line-up but Celtic’s defender Mikael Lustig is more certain first team option. PSV’s Andreas Isaksson will play between the sticks in the Ukraine. Another 91 caps of experience is part of his repertoire. The injury prone keeper represented Sweden in Euro 2008 and the World Cup in 2006. He never managed to establish himself at Manchester City but that was partly due to the emergence one of Euro 2012’s opposite number 1s, Joe Hart. Sweden have a capable, extremely experienced team. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the only really world-class player, yet he is capable of winning matches alone. The rest of the team will need to work hard to cause considerable trouble. They won’t top Group D but second is a possibility. However, with the tournament being played in the Ukraine they may finish 4th.