Last year, she was named Sweden's best female football player.
This year, Elin Rubensson has had her season disrupted by minor injuries.
It's tough. I felt last summer that my body was like a machine then, says the 31-year-old ahead of the European Championship qualifier.
The Swedish women's national football team is gathered at Häcken's training facility on Hisingen ahead of the two final European Championship qualifying matches against France and England.
For Elin Rubensson, it's like coming home. She spent nine seasons with Häcken and its predecessor Göteborg FC before moving to Houston to play in the American professional league NWSL last spring.
It's always fun to come here and meet everyone, especially when it's at home in Gothenburg, says Rubensson.
"What's the time?"
The away match against Chicago did make the trip across the Atlantic a bit shorter, but the jet lag is still felt.
It's going well, but what's the time? Is it midnight? she says with a smile.
Rubensson was successful in blue and yellow when Sweden won the World Championship bronze in Australia and New Zealand last summer. She was awarded the Diamond Ball for her season – the prize for the best female player in Sweden – but 2024 has been somewhat disrupted by injuries.
When her national team colleagues took double qualifying wins against Ireland in May-June, Rubensson missed the gathering.
I have a backside that's causing some trouble, it's clearly tough to be in a vicious circle.
The situation is mentally tough, she says.
I haven't really felt like the injury-prone player before, but it's something new. At the same time, I feel like I'm in my best form ever. It's not major injuries, it's minor ones. It gets frustrating in the end.
It was different during the World Championship.
I felt last summer that my body was like a machine then. I could run as far as I wanted.
At the same time, she has played eight matches – including some 90-minute games – for Houston.
So it hasn't been that bad, but when you get these minor injuries, it gets frustrating.
National team coach Peter Gerhardsson has selected Rubensson to make her available for play, but says it's up to the player and the medical team to set up a training plan.
The reason she's here is that she's a very good player who we need, says Gerhardsson.
"Inspirational matches"
France has a grip on one of the two direct spots to the European Championship in Switzerland 2025 with its nine points. Sweden and England are on seven points, while Ireland is out of the running with zero points.
First, France awaits on away soil on Friday for Sweden – the qualifying match will conclude at home against England on Tuesday next week at Gamla Ullevi.
These are very inspirational matches, and we usually perform best in these games, says Elin Rubensson.
The top two teams will qualify directly for the European Championship in Switzerland 2025. The third and fourth teams will have to play a playoff in the fall. To qualify for the European Championship via the playoff, two wins in two-legged ties are required.
The standings in Sweden's group after four of six rounds:
- France, 9 points (+2 goal difference), 2) Sweden, 7 points (+3), 3) England, 7 points (+2), 4) Ireland, 0 points (–7).
Remaining matches:
July 12: France–Sweden (9:20 PM, Dijon), England–Ireland (9:00 PM).
July 16: Sweden–England (7:00 PM, Gamla Ullevi), Ireland–France (7:00 PM).
Goalkeepers: Jennifer Falk, Häcken, Emma Holmgren, Levante, Zecira Musovic, Chelsea.
Defenders: Jonna Andersson, Hammarby, Nathalie Björn, Chelsea, Magdalena Eriksson, Bayern München, Linda Sembrant, do, Hanna Glas, Kansas, Emma Kullberg, Brighton, Hanna Lundkvist, San Diego, Josefine Rybrink, Häcken, Anna Sandberg, do.
Midfielders and forwards: Filippa Angeldahl, Real Madrid, Kosovare Asllani, London City Lionesses, Hanna Bennison, Juventus, My Cato, IFK Norrköping, Evelyn Ijeh, Milan, Sofia Jakobsson, San Diego, Madelen Janogy, Fiorentina, Rosa Kafaji, Häcken, Fridolina Rolfö, Barcelona, Elin Rubensson, Houston, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Chelsea, Felicia Schröder, Häcken, Matilda Vinberg, Tottenham, Julia Zigiotti Olme, Brighton.
