It's a summer with two major football championships – but without Sweden.
The blue-yellow ladies will make sure it's not repeated next year.
European Championship is what we're going to play, there's no discussion about it, says right-back Hanna Lundkvist ahead of Tuesday's qualifying decider.
The Olympics in Paris, starting in less than two weeks, is the first championship in 31 years that the Swedish women's football team has failed to qualify for.
Two major tournaments in a row have they never missed, but after 23 consecutive championships between 1993 and 2023, that's what's at stake now.
If Sweden drops points in the last qualifying round against England at Gamla Ullevi on Tuesday, they risk missing the European Championship in Switzerland next year as well.
We're just going to be there, that's it, there's no discussion about it. There's no alternative, says Chelsea forward Johanna Rytting Kaneryd.
Could be tough playoffs
If Sweden wins, the European Championship spot is clear, as second in the group behind France. A draw or loss would instead send Sweden to an uncertain playoff in the fall.
There, significantly lower-ranked teams await, but an unlucky draw could mean tough opposition. One example is Portugal, which last year defeated Norway in the Nations League and previously came close to knocking out the USA in the World Championship.
But there's no risk of a new championship-free summer in 2025. The Swedish players emphasize that.
It's not going to happen. We're going to make sure of it. European Championship is what we're going to play, there's no discussion about it, says Hanna Lundkvist.
Absolutely, we're going to the European Championship and secure a championship for ourselves and for all those watching us. We know we're an incredibly good national team and have every chance of advancing already on Tuesday, agrees attacking veteran Sofia Jakobsson.
"Extremely important"
Another missed championship would be a heavy blow to Swedish football as a whole. In addition to the Olympics, a men's European Championship without Swedish participation has been played this summer.
Therefore, it's extremely important for us and for the Swedish Football Association that we make it to the European Championship. Hopefully on Tuesday. So, this is not just any match, says Sweden's assistant national coach Magnus Wikman.
On Sunday, the national team trained in Gothenburg for the first time after returning from Dijon, where they lost to France on Friday (1–2). All players except one participated in the collective training.
IFK Norrköping midfielder My Cato injured her arm earlier in the week and is currently the only question mark ahead of the match against England.
But I hope she can be available on Tuesday. The rest trained fully, so everyone seems to be in good shape, says Magnus Wikman.
European Championship 1984: Gold.
European Championship 1987: Silver.
European Championship 1989: Bronze.*
European Championship 1991: Did not qualify.
World Championship 1991: Bronze.
European Championship 1993: Did not qualify.
European Championship 1995: Silver.
World Championship 1995: Quarterfinal.
Olympics 1996: Out in group stage.
European Championship 1997: Semifinal.
World Championship 1999: Quarterfinal.
Olympics 2000: Out in group stage.
European Championship 2001: Silver.
World Championship 2003: Silver.
Olympics 2004: Fourth.
European Championship 2005: Semifinal.
World Championship 2007: Out in group stage.
Olympics 2008: Quarterfinal.
European Championship 2009: Quarterfinal.
World Championship 2011: Bronze.
European Championship 2013: Semifinal.
Olympics 2012: Quarterfinal.
World Championship 2015: Round of 16.
Olympics 2016: Silver.
European Championship 2017: Quarterfinal.
World Championship 2019: Bronze.
Olympics 2020: Silver.
European Championship 2022: Semifinal.
World Championship 2023: Bronze.
Olympics 2024: Did not qualify.
Note: A third-place match was played in the European Championship 1987, 1989, 1991, and 1993. Since 1995, the bronze match has been abolished, and the two losing semifinalists are counted as shared third place in the tournament.
