Sweden's captain, Kosovare Asllani, has expressed confidence as her team prepares to face England in the Euro 2025 quarter-finals on Thursday. While England, the defending champions, are ranked fifth globally, Sweden is close behind in sixth place, having topped their group with a perfect record.
Peter Gerhardsson's squad secured nine points, capping their group stage with a decisive 4-1 victory over Germany. Despite England's commanding 6-1 win against Wales, midfielder Ella Toone suggested that Sweden "should be scared," a notion Asllani dismisses.
"We respect England and their achievements, but fear is not in our vocabulary," Asllani stated. "Our focus is on courage. We respect one of the world's best teams, but we have a solid game plan. Our goal is to play the football we believe in, and our only outcome is to win."
Sweden has been a standout team in the tournament, and England's captain Leah Williamson acknowledged that they "deserve more recognition." Alongside England and France, Sweden has reached the quarter-finals in all major tournaments since 2017.
"Sweden often flies under the radar, which suits us," commented Asllani, who also plays for the London City Lionesses. "We believe we are among the world's best, but people seldom see us as gold medal contenders. We know we can defeat any team on our best day, and people should talk about us more."
'James is Also a Special Player'
Although England defeated Sweden 4-0 in the Euro 2022 semi-finals, the teams drew twice in the Euro 2025 qualifiers last year. Sweden's manager, Gerhardsson, is aware of England's threats, particularly Chelsea forward Lauren James.
James, 23, has scored twice in three games and posed significant challenges against the Netherlands and Wales. "She's a special player," said Gerhardsson. "Her unique movement and decision-making on the pitch are impressive. As a coach, you appreciate players like her who bring something extra, but I hope we can manage her."
'I Like to Attack, but Also Defend'
Sweden has demonstrated potent aerial threats, recording the most open-play crosses (61) during the group stage. Arsenal forward Stina Blackstenius and Chelsea winger Johanna Rytting Kaneryd are key players, with 65% of Sweden's chances created on Kaneryd's right flank.
England defender Lucy Bronze spoke highly of Kaneryd, her Chelsea teammate, saying, "She's very competitive and will go to great lengths for her team. To stop her, hopefully, she's on the opposite side to me."
Bronze, known for her attacking prowess, may face a challenge against former Barcelona teammate Fridolina Rolfo on Thursday. Asked about adapting her play style, Bronze said, "I'll do whatever manager Sarina Wiegman instructs. I enjoy attacking and defending. Sweden poses threats in wide positions, but we are a strong team and focus on our strengths."
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