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Lotta Schelin is Sweden’s record goalscorer
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She is convinced that her old team can “make it to the top” at next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup
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Schelin expressed his enthusiasm for The Best – FIFA World Player Alexia Putellas
Lotta Schelin was one of the most successful strikers of her generation. At least in club football, she was also a serial winner. But despite winning eight consecutive league titles and three women’s UEFA Champions Leagues with Olympique Lyon, Schelin failed to win a title at international level.
During her 13 years with the national team, during which she won 185 caps and scored 88 goals, the Swedes fell short of great success on several occasions at major tournaments. Despite regularly advancing to the final rounds, Schelin and her teammates came closest to winning a gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Football Tournament when they lost to Germany in the final.
After retiring from the national team in 2017 and now working as a reporter, the 37-year-old hoped she could finally cheer a Swedish side to the top of the podium as they entered the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament by beating reigning world champions USA started. And that’s how it went at first.
“It was absolutely amazing,” said Schelin, who has won the Diamantbollen five times as Sweden’s Female Footballer of the Year. “Sometimes in tournaments you have to find the right rhythm. But the Swedes started incredibly well – they beat USA 3-0 – and then just kept playing as well. They played very well throughout the tournament.”
The Swedes were so strong that the heartbreaking loss in the gold medal match against Canada surprised almost everyone – including Schelin.
“For me, they were the favorites in this final, and that’s how the team saw it. It was hard to lose like that. Really very hard,” said Schelin in retrospect.
“Nevertheless, if you look at Swedish football at the moment, all you can say is, ‘It’s really good’. And the Swedes will definitely keep pushing. So, yeah, everyone has to be careful!
The coach is currently making sure the group works well as a unit, which is typical for Swedish teams, but he’s also found a way of playing that’s really interesting. We play constructively and at the same time make optimal use of our strengths, such as speed and physicality. That’s why I expect that we’ll continue to improve.”
The big question remains, however, whether this increase will lead the Swedes to the successes they have been striving for for almost four decades. In any case, Schelin has high hopes for this year’s UEFA Women’s EURO and next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia/New Zealand™.
“Everyone in Sweden goes into this EURO with very high expectations. I know very well that sometimes high expectations can be a problem,” said Schelin. “But I’m sure this team can handle it; I have a feeling.
As far as the World Cup goes, I feel like anything is possible after 2019 because of the investments and the skills of the players and the teams. You see more teams playing at a high level and that makes it interesting. The Swedish team is in a good position and if they just keep working and no
If key players miss out because of injuries – that’s a very important factor – then I think they can really fight and maybe even make it to the top. Why not?”
But not only Sweden is a real title contender in upcoming tournaments. So is Spain. While La Roja has yet to reach the final rounds of tournaments, the country has produced a golden generation including newly voted The Best – FIFA Women’s Player Alexia Putellas.
“I’ve been following Alexia for a while. She’s thrived incredibly at Barcelona over the last few years,” said Schelin, who acted as assistant at the FIFA Football Awards ceremony. “A team that plays as well as Spain and has a key player like Alexia can win any tournament.
She is absolutely extraordinary. I’m delighted that Spanish football is producing talent like her and Jennifer Hermoso, who was also a finalist at the FIFA Football Awards.
Alexia is strong in every way. She is technically outstanding, she can read the game very well and she scores a lot of goals. She’s an absolutely exceptional player.”
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