Coach: Kristjan Andresson

 

Key Players: Jim Gottfridsson (Centre Back), Mikael Appelgren (Goalkeeper)

 

Qualification for the 2019 World Championship: Winner of European qualification play-off versus Netherlands

 

History in Tournament: 1938: 3rd, 1954: 1st, 1958: 1st, 1961: 3rd, 1964: 2nd, 1967: 5th, 1970: 6th, 1974: 10th, 1978: 8th, 1982: 11th, 1986: 4th, 1990: 1st, 1993: 3rd, 1995: 3rd, 1997: 2nd, 1999: 1st, 2001: 2nd, 2003: 13th, 2005: 11th, 2007: DNQ, 2009: 7th, 2011: 4th, 2013: DNQ, 2015: 10th, 2017: 6th

 

On September 2016, the Icelandic-born coach Kristjan Andresson took charge for Sweden. The team came from a disappointing 11th rank at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and an 8th place at the 2016 EURO which did not meet their expectations either. It was Andresson’s task to start a new process with a renewed team which could bring back the golden days for the Swedes.

 

At France 2017, with an average age lower than 26, Sweden showed a fresh and powerful handball which ended in 6th place – they were knocked out by the hosts 33:30 in the quarter-finals after a great performance. It was clear something positive was growing for the Scandinavian nation.

 

At the 2018 EURO in Croatia, Sweden demonstrated they are not just a prospect for the future but an actual candidate in the run for the medals on the international handball stage. It was after a 35:34 victory after extra-time against Denmark that they qualified to the continental tournament’s final and could feel the excitement of playing for gold – something the Swedish fans may be used to, but many of their young players are not. “I feel amazing, this is a great victory. It will be the first final of my life!” declared left wing Jerry Tollbring that night.

 

Even when Spain were superior in the final and won the game 29:23, it’s inevitable to point out how much Sweden have improved in this past two years. The confidence they have built for themselves can make a difference at the 2019 World Championship. “Our dream is to fulfill our potential and fight for the top positions. We know from past experiences that there are many teams that can fight for the medals, including Sweden,” expresses coach Andresson.

 

Sweden playmaker Jim Gottfridsson was awarded MVP of the 2018 EURO. The 26-year-old SG Flensburg-Handewitt player was also the top scorer of his team with 29 goals.

 

Other highlights of the European silver medallists were their goalkeepers: Mikael Appelgren and Andreas Palicka combined were the best at keeping their goal safe (120 saves in total at a 36% rate). Both wear Rhein-Neckar Löwen’s jersey in the German Bundesliga, which may explain why they work so well together.

 

The other two Swedes at Rhein-Neckar Löwen are the 23-year old left wing Jerry Tollbring and line player Jesper Nielsen. 21-year-old left back Lukas Nilsson and right wing Niclas Ekberg also play in the Bundesliga: they are teammates in THW Kiel.

 

Even when they have “good players in each position”, for Kristjan Andresson “to succeed we have to play as a team.” The coach also knows he has “athletes competing at main clubs who are used to playing the big games.

 

“We have never played against Angola, but are quite familiar to the other teams in the World Championship group D,” highlights Kristjan. “Qatar have been in the podium lately, Argentina are a good team that have beaten us before and we also have big respect for Egypt and Hungary.”

 

“We would like to make it to the main round and I am confident we can do so if we do our homework and stick to our game plans. Of course we would like to play the final weekend in Herning, but it’s a long way to get there,” closed Sweden coach Andresson.

 

Follow the Swedish Federation on their website, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

 

Group at Germany/Denmark 2019

Group D: Sweden, Hungary, Qatar, Argentina, Egypt, Angola

 

Games at Germany/Denmark 2019
All times local

 

Friday 11 January Egypt vs Sweden (20:30)
Sunday 13 January Sweden vs Argentina (20:30)
Monday 14 January Sweden vs Angola (20:30)
Wednesday 16 January Qatar vs Sweden (20:30)
Thursday 17 January Sweden vs Hungary (20:30)

 

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Photo: Swedish Handball Federation