Sweden - Group E
Regulars at the major finals, but rarely featuring in the latter stages, the Swedes have snuck into Euro 2016 via the backdoor. Over reliant on star man Zlatan Ibrahimović the Swedes will need to prove they are more than a one-man team if they're to make any real impact at the finals.
Get to know: Sweden
It’s safe to say Sweden didn’t set the world alight during their Euro 2016 campaign winning just 5 of their games and featuring a demoralising 1-4 home defeat to eventual group winners Austria. Zlatan Ibrahimović will once again be Sweden’s key man at the finals, but the Swedes need a few others to step up to the plate if they are to get out of a tough Group E.
In the group stages, they won 5 games, drew 3 and lost 2, scoring 15 goals, conceding 9 and ending up with a +6 goal difference.
In the draw for the main event, Sweden were placed in Group E, alongside Italy, Republic of Ireland and the Belgium.
Fixtures:
June 13 vs. Republic of Ireland 4pm – Stade de France, Saint-Denis
June 17 vs. Italy 1pm – Stadium Municipal, Toulouse
June 22 vs. Belgium 7pm – Allianz Riviera, Nice
Goal scorers:
During qualification, the Sweden scored 15 goals
Their goal scorers were:
- Zlatan Ibrahimović (8)
- Erkan Zengin (3)
- Marcus Berg (2)
- Ola Toivonen (1)
- Jimmy Durmaz (1)
Qualification Stat Truths:
- One of only two qualifiers to lose a qualifying match by three or more goals.
- Dirtiest team to have qualified, averaging 13.0 fouls per match.
- Only qualifier not to have had a goal scored by a substitute during qualifying.
- Allowed the highest percentage of opponent shots from inside their area of any qualifier with 65.7%.
All data based on Sweden’s Euro 2016 qualification campaign. Courtesy of the Press Association.