Sweden national under-21 football team
The Sweden national under-21 football team is the football team representing Sweden in competitions for under-21 year old players and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association. The team is coached by Roland Nilsson. The Swedish U21 team came into existence, following the realignment of UEFA European Under-23 Championship, which changed to be an Under-21 competition in 1978.
Nickname(s) | Blågult (The Blue-Yellow) | ||
---|---|---|---|
Association | Svenska Fotbollförbundet (SvFF) | ||
Confederation | UEFA (Europe) | ||
Head coach | Roland Nilsson | ||
Captain | Mattias Svanberg | ||
Most caps | Oscar Hiljemark (37) | ||
Top scorer | Carlos Strandberg (13) Ola Toivonen (13) | ||
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First international | |||
U23![]() ![]() (Esbjerg, Denmark; 22 June 1952) U21 ![]() ![]() (Vaasa, Finland; 11 August 1976) | |||
Biggest win | |||
U23![]() ![]() (Växjö, Sweden; 10 June 1956) ![]() ![]() (Oulu, Finland; 22 September 1957) U21 ![]() ![]() (Helsingborg, Sweden; 1 May 1991) ![]() ![]() (Halmstad, Sweden; 6 October 1992) ![]() ![]() (Halmstad, Sweden; 3 June 2005) ![]() ![]() (Cartagena, Spain; 31 March 2015) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
U23![]() ![]() (Warsaw, Poland; 7 October 1964) U21 ![]() ![]() (Kiev, Ukraine; 31 May 2012) | |||
UEFA U-21 Championship | |||
Appearances | 9 (first in 1972) | ||
Best result | Champions (2015) |
Sweden made their first European Under-21 Championship appearance in 1986. In 2015, Sweden became champions for the first time.[1] They finished second in 1992 and they also reached the semi-finals in 1990 and 2009.[2] Oscar Hiljemark is the most capped player for the Swedish U21 team, having played 37 caps between 2011 and 2015. Ola Toivonen and Carlos Strandberg are the best goalscorers for the Swedish U21 team, having scored 13 goals each.
Competitive record
Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place Tournament held on home soil

UEFA European U-23 Championship
UEFA European Under-23 Championship record | UEFA European Under-23 Championship qualification record | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
1972 | Quarter-finals | 6th | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 2 | |
1974 | Did not qualify | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | ||||||||
1976 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 | |||||||||
Total | Best: Quarter-finals | 1/3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 20 | 13 |
UEFA European U-21 Championship
UEFA European Under-21 Championship record | UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification record | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
1978 | Did not qualify | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 8 | ||||||||
1980 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | |||||||||
1982 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | |||||||||
1984 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 4 | |||||||||
1986 | Quarter-finals | 6th | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 3 | |
1988 | Did not qualify | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 6 | ||||||||
1990 | Semi-finals | 3rd | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 2 | |
1992 | Runners-up | 2nd | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 3 | |
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Did not qualify | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 21 | 8 | ||||||||
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8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 4 | |||||||||
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Quarter-finals | 6th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 30 | 6 | |
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Did not qualify | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 15 | ||||||||
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12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 22 | 10 | |||||||||
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Fourth place | 4th | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 20 | 14 | |
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Did not qualify | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 16 | 12 | ||||||||
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4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 6 | |||||||||
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Semi-finals | 3rd | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 7 | Qualified as hosts | ||||||
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Did not qualify | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 17 | 10 | ||||||||
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12 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 20 | 14 | |||||||||
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Champions | 1st | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 24 | 17 | |
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Group stage | 9th | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 7 | |
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Did not qualify | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 8 | ||||||||
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To be determined | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 7 | ||||||||
Total | 1 title | 8/21 | 32 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 48 | 37 | 168 | 91 | 35 | 42 | 313 | 174 |
Players
Current squad
The following 20 players were called up for the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification match against Republic of Ireland on 19 November 2019.[3]
Caps and goals updated as of 19 November 2019.
Recent call-ups
The following 15 players are still eligible for the U21 team (i.e. born in 1998 or later) and have previously been called up to the Sweden U21 squad.
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GK | Marko Johansson | 25 August 1998 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
GK | Kalle Joelsson | 21 March 1998 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | Alexander Jallow | 3 March 1998 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | Anton Kralj | 12 March 1998 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | Arvid Brorsson | 8 May 1999 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | Johan Stenmark | 28 February 1999 | 2 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | Marcus Degerlund | 16 March 1998 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Mattias Svanberg (captain) | 5 January 1999 | 14 | 3 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Dejan Kulusevski | 25 April 2000 | 5 | 2 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Samuel Adrian | 2 March 1998 | 4 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Carl Johansson | 17 June 1998 | 2 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Gabriel Gudmundsson | 29 April 1999 | 2 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | Joel Asoro | 27 April 1999 | 17 | 3 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | Benjamin Nygren | 8 July 2001 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | Alexander Isak | 21 September 1999 | 7 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
Players with most caps and goals
Updated as of 7 June 2018. Note that the matches played by Sweden Olympic football team in 1992 and 2016 are included here, as the Swedish Football Association recognizes them as Under-21 matches.
Top 10 most capped players
# | Player | Career | Caps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Oscar Hiljemark | 2011–2015 | 37 | 4 |
2 | Alexander Farnerud | 2002–2006 | 36 | 12 |
3 | Jonny Rödlund | 1990–1993 | 35 | 11 |
4 | Simon Tibbling | 2012–2017 | 33 | 2 |
5 | Magnus Johansson | 1990–1993 | 32 | 0 |
6 | Mikael Dorsin | 2000–2004 | 31 | 1 |
Mattias Bjärsmyr | 2005–2009 | 31 | 0 | |
8 | Johan Elmander | 2000–2004 | 30 | 12 |
Tommy Jönsson | 1995–1998 | 30 | 2 | |
Sven Andersson | 1981–1986 | 30 | 0 | |
Top 10 goalscorers
# | Player | Career | Goals | Caps |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Carlos Strandberg | 2015–2018 | 13 | 18 |
Ola Toivonen | 2006–2009 | 13 | 28 | |
3 | Pär-Olov Olsson | 1972–1977 | 12 | 19 |
John Guidetti | 2010–2015 | 12 | 23 | |
Johan Elmander | 2000–2004 | 12 | 30 | |
Alexander Farnerud | 2002–2006 | 12 | 36 | |
7 | Mikael Ishak | 2012–2016 | 11 | 27 |
Jonny Rödlund | 1990–1993 | 11 | 35 | |
9 | Niklas Skoog | 1994–1995 | 10 | 14 |
10 | Tord Grip | 1958–1961 | 9 | 10 |
Lasse Larsson | 1982–1987 | 9 | 10 |
See also
References
- "EM-guld efter straffdrama!" (in Swedish). Svenskfotboll. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- "EM-sorti på straffar efter mirakelvändning" (in Swedish). Svenskfotboll. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
- "U21-truppen mot Irland" (in Swedish). Svenskfotboll. 6 November 2019. Retrieved 6 November 2019.