Sweden Under-21
Nickname(s)Blågult (The Blue-Yellow)
AssociationSvenska Fotbollförbundet (SvFF)
ConfederationUEFA (Europe)
Head coachDaniel Bäckström
CaptainArmin Gigović
Most capsOscar Hiljemark (37)
Top scorerCarlos Strandberg
Ola Toivonen (13)
First colours
Second colours
First international
U23
 Denmark 3–2 Sweden 
(Esbjerg, Denmark; 22 June 1952)
U21
 Finland 1–3 Sweden 
(Vaasa, Finland; 11 August 1976)
Biggest win
U23
 Sweden 9–2 Finland 
(Växjö, Sweden; 10 June 1956)
 Finland 0–7 Sweden 
(Oulu, Finland; 22 September 1957)
U21
 Sweden 10–0 Armenia 
(Lublin, Poland; 13 October 2020)
Biggest defeat
U23
 Poland 6–1 Sweden 
(Warsaw, Poland; 7 October 1964)
U21
 Ukraine 6–0 Sweden 
(Kyiv, Ukraine; 31 May 2012)
UEFA U-21 Championship
Appearances9 (first in 1972)
Best resultChampions (2015)

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 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.

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 top goalscorers for the Swedish U21 team, having scored 13 goals each.

Competitive record

  Champions    Runners-up    Third place    Fourth place  0000 Tournament held on home soil  

Sweden national under-21 football team celebrating in June 2015, after winning the 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.

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
France 1994 Did not qualify 10 4 4 2 21 8
Spain 1996 8 5 1 2 15 4
Romania 1998 Quarter-finals 6th 3 1 0 2 3 3 10 9 0 1 30 6
Slovakia 2000 Did not qualify 8 2 0 6 7 15
Switzerland 2002 12 6 4 2 22 10
Germany 2004 Fourth place 4th 5 3 1 1 11 7 10 5 3 2 20 14
Portugal 2006 Did not qualify 10 6 0 4 16 12
Netherlands 2007 4 3 0 1 8 6
Sweden 2009 Semi-finals 3rd 4 2 1 1 12 7 Qualified as hosts
Denmark 2011 Did not qualify 10 6 2 2 17 10
Israel 2013 12 7 1 4 20 14
Czech Republic 2015 Champions 1st 5 2 2 1 7 4 10 6 1 3 24 17
Poland 2017 Group stage 9th 3 0 2 1 2 5 10 7 3 0 24 7
ItalySan Marino 2019 Did not qualify 10 6 2 2 19 8
HungarySlovenia 2021 9 5 0 4 28 12
RomaniaGeorgia (country) 2023 10 5 3 2 22 8
Slovakia 2025 To be determined 5 2 1 2 11 5
Total 1 title 8/24 32 13 9 10 48 37 188 101 38 49 364 192

Players

Current squad

The following 21 players were called up for the friendly match against Finland on 16 November 2023 and the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification match against Netherlands on 20 November 2023.[3]

Caps and goals updated as of 20 November 2023.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Oliver Dovin (2002-07-11) 11 July 2002 (age 21) 7 0 Sweden Hammarby IF
12 1GK Noel Törnqvist (2002-02-01) 1 February 2002 (age 22) 4 0 Sweden Mjällby AIF
2 2DF Daniel Svensson (2002-02-12) 12 February 2002 (age 21) 16 1 Denmark Nordsjælland
3 2DF Casper Widell (2003-05-05) 5 May 2003 (age 20) 6 0 Netherlands Excelsior
4 2DF Jesper Tolinsson (2003-02-28) 28 February 2003 (age 20) 12 0 Belgium Lommel
5 2DF Noah Persson (2003-07-16) 16 July 2003 (age 20) 10 0 Switzerland Young Boys
13 2DF Samuel Dahl (2003-03-04) 4 March 2003 (age 20) 3 0 Sweden Djurgårdens IF
15 2DF Noah Eile (2002-07-19) 19 July 2002 (age 21) 3 0 United States New York Red Bulls
2DF Zinedin Smajlović (2003-12-20) 20 December 2003 (age 20) 3 0 Italy Lecco
6 3MF Armin Gigović (captain) (2002-04-06) 6 April 2002 (age 21) 19 2 Denmark Midtjylland
7 3MF Roony Bardghji (2005-11-15) 15 November 2005 (age 18) 8 2 Denmark Copenhagen
8 3MF Yasin Ayari (2003-10-06) 6 October 2003 (age 20) 10 1 England Blackburn Rovers
10 3MF Sebastian Nanasi (2002-05-16) 16 May 2002 (age 21) 6 1 Sweden Malmö FF
11 3MF Joe Mendes (2002-12-31) 31 December 2002 (age 21) 10 0 Portugal Braga
14 3MF Melker Widell (2002-04-19) 19 April 2002 (age 21) 1 0 Denmark AaB
16 3MF Hugo Bolin (2003-07-24) 24 July 2003 (age 20) 1 0 Sweden Malmö FF
17 3MF Williot Swedberg (2004-02-01) 1 February 2004 (age 20) 5 1 Spain Celta Vigo
18 3MF Otto Rosengren (2003-05-16) 16 May 2003 (age 20) 8 2 Sweden Malmö FF
19 3MF Lucas Bergvall (2006-02-02) 2 February 2006 (age 18) 3 1 Sweden Djurgårdens IF
20 3MF Joakim Persson (2002-04-03) 3 April 2002 (age 21) 2 1 Sweden IK Sirius
9 4FW Joel Voelkerling Persson (2003-01-15) 15 January 2003 (age 21) 5 0 Netherlands Vitesse

Recent call-ups

The following 31 players are still eligible for the U21 team (i.e. born in 2002 or later) and have previously been called up to the squad.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK David Čelić (2003-03-08) 8 March 2003 (age 20) 0 0 Unattached v.  Georgia, 17 October 2023
GK Sebastian Selin (2003-01-11) 11 January 2003 (age 21) 0 0 Sweden Hammarby IF v.  Gibraltar, 19 June 2023
GK Hannes Sveijer (2002-04-28) 28 April 2002 (age 21) 0 0 Sweden IK Sirius v.  Colombia, 26 March 2023
GK Wille Jakobsson (2002-01-07) 7 January 2002 (age 22) 0 0 Sweden Degerfors IF v.  Azerbaijan, 20 November 2022
DF Markus Karlsson (2004-01-20) 20 January 2004 (age 20) 0 0 Sweden Hammarby IF v.  North Macedonia, 8 September 2023
DF Emin Hasić (2003-02-08) 8 February 2003 (age 21) 3 1 Sweden IFK Värnamo v.  Gibraltar, 19 June 2023
DF Johan Bångsbo (2003-02-10) 10 February 2003 (age 21) 2 0 Sweden IFK Göteborg v.  Gibraltar, 19 June 2023
DF Casper Nilsson (2003-11-26) 26 November 2003 (age 20) 2 0 England Brighton & Hove Albion v.  Gibraltar, 19 June 2023 WD
DF Hussein Ali IRQ (2002-03-01) 1 March 2002 (age 21) 5 0 Netherlands Heerenveen v.  Azerbaijan, 20 November 2022
DF Niclas Bergmark (2002-01-07) 7 January 2002 (age 22) 1 0 Sweden Örebro SK v.  Azerbaijan, 20 November 2022
MF Ahmed Qasem (2003-07-12) 12 July 2003 (age 20) 3 0 Sweden IF Elfsborg v.  Netherlands, 20 November 2023 WD
MF Mayckel Lahdo (2002-12-30) 30 December 2002 (age 21) 8 2 Netherlands AZ v.  Georgia, 17 October 2023
MF Jacob Ondrejka (2002-09-02) 2 September 2002 (age 21) 6 1 Belgium Antwerp v.  North Macedonia, 8 September 2023
MF Hugo Larsson (2004-06-27) 27 June 2004 (age 19) 3 1 Germany Eintracht Frankfurt v.  North Macedonia, 8 September 2023
MF Camil Jebara (2003-01-19) 19 January 2003 (age 21) 1 0 Sweden IF Elfsborg v.  Gibraltar, 19 June 2023
MF Tom Strannegård (2002-04-29) 29 April 2002 (age 21) 0 0 Norway IK Start v.  Gibraltar, 19 June 2023
MF Isak Jansson (2002-01-31) 31 January 2002 (age 22) 3 0 Austria Rapid Wien v.  Colombia, 26 March 2023 WD
MF Hussein Carneil (2003-05-09) 9 May 2003 (age 20) 2 0 Sweden IFK Göteborg v.  Colombia, 26 March 2023 WD
MF Noah Shamoun (2002-12-08) 8 December 2002 (age 21) 2 0 Denmark Randers FC v.  Colombia, 26 March 2023
MF Aimar Sher (2002-12-20) 20 December 2002 (age 21) 2 0 Norway Sarpsborg 08 v.  Colombia, 26 March 2023
MF David Edvardsson (2002-03-05) 5 March 2002 (age 21) 3 0 Sweden Landskrona BoIS v.  Azerbaijan, 20 November 2022
MF Oscar Uddenäs (2002-08-17) 17 August 2002 (age 21) 2 1 Netherlands Excelsior v.  Azerbaijan, 20 November 2022
MF Alper Demirol (2002-10-01) 1 October 2002 (age 21) 2 0 Sweden Hammarby IF v.  Azerbaijan, 20 November 2022
MF Paulos Abraham (2002-07-16) 16 July 2002 (age 21) 8 2 Netherlands Groningen v.  Italy, 9 June 2022
MF Anthony Elanga (2002-04-27) 27 April 2002 (age 21) 8 7 England Nottingham Forest v.  Republic of Ireland, 16 November 2021
MF Erik Ring (2002-04-24) 24 April 2002 (age 21) 2 0 Sweden AIK v.  Republic of Ireland, 16 November 2021
MF Dennis Collander (2002-05-09) 9 May 2002 (age 21) 3 0 Sweden Hammarby IF v.  Italy, 12 October 2021 WD
FW Oscar Vilhelmsson (2003-10-02) 2 October 2003 (age 20) 4 2 Germany Darmstadt 98 v.  Netherlands, 20 November 2023 WD
FW Omar Faraj (2002-03-09) 9 March 2002 (age 21) 5 4 Sweden AIK v.  Georgia, 17 October 2023
FW Jusef Erabi (2003-06-08) 8 June 2003 (age 20) 2 1 Sweden Hammarby IF v.  North Macedonia, 8 September 2023
FW Tim Prica (2002-04-23) 23 April 2002 (age 21) 11 4 Denmark AaB v.  Gibraltar, 19 June 2023
Notes
  • PRE = Preliminary squad / standby
  • SUS = Serving suspension
  • WD = Player withdrew from the squad
  • IRQ = Switched to Iraq national team

Previous squads

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

Oscar Hiljemark holds the record for most appearances made for the team, having 37 caps.
# 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

Ola Toivonen, with 13 goals is the team's joint top goalscorer with Carlos Strandberg, Toivonen being the first to reach the tally.
# Player Career Goals Caps
1 Carlos Strandberg 2015–2018 13 18
Ola Toivonen 2006–2009 13 28
3 Pär-Olof Ohlsson 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

  1. ^ "EM-guld efter straffdrama!" (in Swedish). Svenskfotboll. Archived from the original on 1 July 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  2. ^ "EM-sorti på straffar efter mirakelvändning" (in Swedish). Svenskfotboll. Archived from the original on 29 June 2009. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  3. ^ "U21-trupp till matcherna i Borås" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. 8 November 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.

External links

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