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| HOW THEY QUALIFIED |
| GROUP E |
GP | W | D | L | GD | PTS | |
| 1 |  Netherlands (Q) |
10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 29 | 27 |
| 2 |  Sweden (Q) |
10 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 24 |
| 3 |  Hungary |
10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 19 |
| 4 |  Finland |
10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 10 |
| 5 |  Moldova |
10 | 3 | 0 | 7 | -4 | 9 |
| 6 |  San Marino |
10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | -53 | 0 |
| RESULTS | TOP SCORERS |
| Sep 3, 2010: Sweden 2-0 Hungary Sep 7, 2010: Sweden 6-0 San Marino Oct 12, 2010: Netherlands 4-1 Sweden Mar 29, 2011: Sweden 2-1 Moldova Jun 3, 2011: Moldova 1-4 Sweden Jun 7, 2011: Sweden 5-0 Finland Sep 2, 2011: Hungary 2-1 Sweden Sep 6, 2011: San Marino 0-5 Sweden Oct 7, 2011: Finland 1-2 Sweden Oct 11, 2011: Sweden 3-2 Netherlands |
 5 - Zlatan Ibrahimovic 3 - Christian Wilhelmsson, Sebastian Larsson, Kim Kallstrom 2 - Andreas Granqvist, Martin Olsson, Pontus Wernbloom, Ola Toivonen, Johan Elmander 1 - Mikael Lustig, Emir Bajrami, Tobias Hysén, Marcus Berg, Alexander Gerndt |
Sweden started their campaign strongly, scoring eight goals in their opening two games without conceding once.
A 4-1 humbling at the feet of the Netherlands soon brought the Scandinavians back to earth, though, but Erik Hamren's men learned their lesson well and the wins soon picked up again.
A hefty 4-1 victory away to Moldova followed, preceding the 5-0 thumping of neighbours Finland, letting Group E know that the Swedes were not taking qualification lightly.
A 2-1 loss to Hungary proved a mere hiccup in the second half of fixtures, as the wins continued until the final match where the Swedes exacted a 3-2 revenge win over the Netherlands at the Rasunda Stadium to put second place beyond doubt and end Holland's 17-game winning spree in qualification matches.
| PAST RECORD IN THE EUROS |
| 1960 |
Did not enter |
1988 |
Did not qualify |
| 1964 |
Did not qualify | 1992 |
Semi final |
| 1968 |
Did not qualify |
1996 |
Did not qualify |
| 1972 |
Did not qualify | 2000 |
Group stage |
| 1976 |
Did not qualify | 2004 |
Quarter final |
| 1980 |
Did not qualify | 2008 |
Group stage |
| 1984 |
Did not qualify | 2012 |
Qualified as best runner-up |
The first time Sweden made it to a European Championship was 1992 – due to the fact they were host country for the event.
Having never made it to the competition before, many were excused for writing the Swedes off before the tournament started, but it would turn out to be their most successful run in the competition as they reached the semi-finals in the eight-team contest. Former Parma and Leeds United attacker Tomas Brolin was amongst the top scorers.
In 2004, Zlatan Ibrahimovic joined national hero Henrik Larsson at the head of Sweden's attack for the Euros, providing one of the more potent strike forces in the competition. However, what would turn out to be their second best ever run came to an end at the hands of the Netherlands, who ousted the Swedes in the quarter finals on penalties.
| THE MANAGER | ERIK HAMREN |
While Hamren does have a few 'flair players' at his disposal, he is not afforded the same multitude of stars to choose from as one such as Germany's Joachim Low, and as such has kept things simple throughout his tenure of the national side.
Opting normally for a 4-2-3-1, double-pivot style formation with a lone striker, Hamren would appear adept at getting the most out of what he has, winning eight out of 10 qualifying matches since taking over.
Even without Zlatan Ibrahimovic at his disposal away to Moldova, the coach conjured up a 4-1 win, while a 5-0 drubbing of Finland proved that it is not just minnows that can suffer a heavy defeat if Hamren gets his tactics right.
| THE CAPTAIN | ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC |
Picking up where Henrik Larsson left off as the striker with the armband, there are not many football fans around who are not already aware of the ins and outs of the former Inter, Barcelona and current AC Milan star.
Ibrahimovic has a reputation not only for scoring bucket-loads of goals, but also for stirring up controversy within camps – something that Hamren appears to have avoided thus far.
Perhaps the added responsibility is just the tonic to keep Zlatan's darker, moodier side under wraps, but what is certain is that it will have to stay that way if the prolific hitman is to continue leading by example at the head of attack.
| THE UNDERSTUDY | SEBASTIAN LARSSON |
Since finally getting some much overdue first-team action under Alex McLeish at Birmingham in 2010-11, Seb Larsson has gradually blossomed into an extremely talented midfielder – the only problem being his fiery temper.
But while the dead-ball expert's outspoken nature tends to earn him a place in the referee's book more often that not, Sweden will look to the Sunderland man for inspiration come Poland and Ukraine, and with the player turning 27 just as the tournament comes around, age could lend a hand in keeping his opinions under wraps when needed.
A keen assister with a penchant for scoring last-minute goals, Larsson has opened his international account with three strikes in Euro 2012 qualification alone, meaning momentum could well be on his side to have a stellar tournament representing his country.
| THE EMERGING TALENT | MARTIN OLSSON |
Despite being one of the youngest members of the senior squad, Olsson's performances for club and country over recent seasons have basically guaranteed him a first-team spot wherever he plays.
Extremely versatile in that he can operate anywhere on the left flank, the young Swede's work ethic is rivalled only by the raw talent he exudes whilst performing on the pitch. Whether it be attacking or defending, Olsson's adeptness at both have seen him become a key member in Blackburn's first team – no mean feat at such a tender age.
And with goals already on the board for the flanker, it would appear the time for settling in at national level has come and gone, leaving only time to shine come Euro 2012.
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Active Tournaments
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Striker Paris St. Germain (PSG) |
4 | 0 |
|
Rasmus Elm
Midfielder CSKA Moscow |
3 | 0 |
|
Anders Svensson
Midfielder Elfsborg |
1 | 0 |
|
Sebastian Larsson
Midfielder Sunderland |
1 | 0 |
|
Johan Elmander
Striker Galatasaray |
1 | 0 |
