Sweden national under-21 football team
| Nickname(s) | Blågult (The Blue-Yellow) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Association | Svenska Fotbollförbundet (SvFF) | ||
| Confederation | UEFA (Europe) | ||
| Head coach | Vacant | ||
| Captain | Aiham Ousou | ||
| Most caps | Oscar Hiljemark (37) | ||
| Top scorer | Carlos Strandberg Ola Toivonen (13) | ||
| |||
| 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 (Lublin, Poland; 13 October 2020) | |||
| Biggest defeat | |||
| U23 (Warsaw, Poland; 7 October 1964) U21 (Kyiv, Ukraine; 31 May 2012) | |||
| UEFA U-21 Championship | |||
| Appearances | 9 (first in 1972) | ||
| Best result | Champions (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 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 | |
| Did not qualify | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 21 | 8 | |||||||||
| 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 4 | ||||||||||
| Quarter-finals | 6th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 30 | 6 | ||
| Did not qualify | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 15 | |||||||||
| 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 22 | 10 | ||||||||||
| Fourth place | 4th | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 20 | 14 | ||
| Did not qualify | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 16 | 12 | |||||||||
| 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 6 | ||||||||||
| Semi-finals | 3rd | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 7 | Qualified as hosts | |||||||
| Did not qualify | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 17 | 10 | |||||||||
| 12 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 20 | 14 | ||||||||||
| Champions | 1st | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 24 | 17 | ||
| Group stage | 9th | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 7 | ||
| Did not qualify | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 8 | |||||||||
| 9 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 28 | 12 | ||||||||||
| Qualification in progress | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 5 | |||||||||
| Total | 1 title | 8/23 | 32 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 48 | 37 | 180 | 98 | 37 | 45 | 349 | 184 | |
Players
Current squad
The following 23 players have been called up for the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification matches against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republic of Ireland on 12 and 16 November 2021, respectively.[3]
Caps and goals updated as of 16 November 2021.
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GK | Samuel Brolin | 29 September 2000 | 8 | 0 | |
| 12 | GK | Oliver Dovin | 11 July 2002 | 1 | 0 | |
| 23 | GK | Noel Törnqvist | 1 February 2002 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2 | DF | Emil Holm | 13 May 2000 | 7 | 2 | |
| 3 | DF | Aiham Ousou (captain) | 9 January 2000 | 5 | 0 | |
| 4 | DF | Pavle Vagić | 24 January 2000 | 9 | 0 | |
| 5 | DF | Daniel Svensson | 12 February 2002 | 4 | 0 | |
| 13 | DF | Oliver Zandén | 14 August 2001 | 0 | 0 | |
| 14 | DF | Jesper Tolinsson | 28 February 2003 | 5 | 0 | |
| 15 | DF | Gustaf Lagerbielke | 10 April 2000 | 0 | 0 | |
| 18 | DF | Hussein Ali | 1 March 2002 | 3 | 0 | |
| 6 | MF | Carl Gustafsson | 18 March 2000 | 8 | 0 | |
| 7 | MF | Patrik Wålemark | 14 October 2001 | 8 | 3 | |
| 8 | MF | Bilal Hussein (vice-captain) | 22 April 2000 | 16 | 1 | |
| 10 | MF | Rami Al Hajj | 17 September 2001 | 6 | 1 | |
| 17 | MF | David Edvardsson | 5 March 2002 | 2 | 0 | |
| 21 | MF | Adam Carlén | 27 June 2000 | 1 | 0 | |
| 9 | FW | Amin Sarr | 11 March 2001 | 7 | 2 | |
| 11 | FW | Anthony Elanga | 27 April 2002 | 8 | 7 | |
| 16 | FW | Benjamin Nygren | 8 July 2001 | 11 | 2 | |
| 19 | FW | Tim Prica | 23 April 2002 | 8 | 2 | |
| 20 | FW | Paulos Abraham | 16 July 2002 | 5 | 2 | |
| 22 | FW | Erik Ring | 24 April 2002 | 2 | 0 | |
Recent call-ups
The following 19 players are still eligible for the U21 team (i.e. born in 2000 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 | Daniel Strindholm | 7 October 2001 | 0 | 0 | v. | |
| GK | Hannes Sveijer | 28 April 2002 | 0 | 0 | v. | |
| GK | Jakob Tånnander | 10 August 2000 | 0 | 0 | v. | |
| DF | Eric Kahl | 27 September 2001 | 10 | 0 | v. | |
| DF | Noah Eile | 19 July 2002 | 0 | 0 | v. | |
| DF | Anton Eriksson | 5 March 2000 | 1 | 0 | v. | |
| DF | Yahya Kalley | 20 March 2001 | 1 | 0 | v. | |
| MF | Armin Gigović | 6 April 2002 | 8 | 1 | v. | |
| MF | Hampus Finndell | 6 June 2000 | 2 | 0 | v. | |
| MF | Dennis Collander | 9 May 2002 | 3 | 0 | v. | |
| MF | Albin Mörfelt | 10 January 2000 | 1 | 0 | v. | |
| MF | Aimar Sher | 20 December 2002 | 1 | 0 | v. | |
| MF | Isak Jansson | 31 January 2002 | 0 | 0 | v. | |
| MF | Amel Mujanić | 1 April 2001 | 0 | 0 | v. | |
| MF | Dejan Kulusevski | 25 April 2000 | 5 | 2 | v. | |
| FW | Nils Fröling | 20 April 2000 | 6 | 0 | v. | |
| FW | Sebastian Nanasi | 16 May 2002 | 0 | 0 | v. | |
| FW | Benjamin Mbunga-Kimpioka | 21 February 2000 | 9 | 2 | v. | |
| FW | Edvin Crona | 25 January 2000 | 1 | 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-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
- "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 till EM-kvalet i september" (in Swedish). Svenskfotboll. 2 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.