Sweden (SWE)
Only one other team than Sweden managed to collect the maximum of 12 points during the EHF EURO qualifiers: Germany. Does that make those two nations favourites for the final title? Maybe not, but at least it highlights the current wave of form that the Swedes are currently surfing on.
Looking at the last international competitions, it is clear why Sweden are among the favourites at this tournament. They won silver at the Men’s World Championship 2021, came fifth at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, and seventh at EHF EURO 2020. The Scandinavian side is back among the contenders, after surviving a 10-year handball desert.
The resurgence is largely due to their new generation. Jonathan Carlsbogard, Hampus Wanne, Lucas Pellas and Lukas Sandell are just some of the many young talents in this team. Most of them play the EHF Champions League every week, an opportunity that allows them to gather some experience that can pay dividends for the national team.
You would not want to overlook the role of their older players. Goalkeeper Andreas Palicka, line player Fredric Pettersson and captain Jim Gottfridsson, who have all been around for the last decade, provide a pattern for the youngsters to express themselves.
At EHF EURO 2022, Sweden will have no time to warm up – they will battle with titleholders Spain in the second preliminary round game. By that point, it will be clear how the Swedes are playing.
If all goes well, Sweden might be able to meet their expectations and to find some of their former glory again. It is 20 years since they won the third of their three consecutive EHF EURO titles – will they celebrate a perfect anniversary?
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EHF competition history
ECh Beach Handball
2024 - 2nd place
European Championship
2024 - 3rd place
European Championship
2022 - Champion
EURO CUP
2020 - 3rd place
European Championship
2018 - 2nd place
European Championship
2002 - Champion
European Championship
2000 - Champion
Olympic Games
2000 - 2nd place
World Championship
1999 - Champion
European Championship
1998 - Champion
World Championship
1997 - 2nd place
Olympic Games
1996 - 2nd place
World Championship
1995 - 3rd place
European Championship
1994 - Champion
Key Players
Centre back
EHF EURO 2022 is Jim Gottfridsson’s third European championship. He was Sweden's second top scorer in 2020 with 25 goals. Gottfridsson was also the top scorer of the U19 World Championship 2012 and MVP of EHF EURO 2018 in Croatia. Like many other Swedish handball stars, Gottfridsson comes from Ystad and played for the club from the age of eight until his 2013 transfer to Flensburg at age 21. He was a key player for Flensburg in the EHF FINAL4 when they won the Champions League trophy in 2014.
Right wing
Niclas Ekberg has played in all EHF EURO tournaments since 2012, apart from 2020. He joined Kiel after the London 2012 Olympic Games, where he was silver medallist and top scorer; he previously played for AG Kobenhavn and started his career at Ystad. Ekberg was MVP of the EHF Cup Finals 2019 and Kiel’s best scorer that EHF Cup season. He became the best all-time scorer for THW Kiel this season, stealing the top spot from current coach Filip Jicha.
Head Coach
Coach
Sweden is Glenn Solberg’s first head coach job for a national team. He was assistant coach for Norway from 2014 to 2016. Solberg led Sweden to the IHF Men’s World Championship final in 2021, less than one year after taking the job. He made the choice to draft several promising young players, such as Jonathan Carlbogard, Lucas Pellas and Lukas Sandell. The former Norwegian centre back played for Nordhorn, Barça and Flensburg in the late 90s and early 2000s.