Sweden national under-21 football team

Sweden Under-21
Nickname	Blågult (The Blue-Yellow)
Association	Svenska Fotbollförbundet (SvFF)
Confederation	UEFA (Europe)
Head coach	Daniel Bäckström
Captain	Roony Bardghji
Most caps	Oscar Hiljemark (37)
Top scorer	Carlos Strandberg; Ola Toivonen (13)
First colours	Second colours
First international
	Denmark 3–2 Sweden ; (Esbjerg, Denmark; 22 June 1952)
Biggest win
	Sweden 10–0 Armenia ; (Lublin, Poland; 13 October 2020)
Biggest defeat
	Ukraine 6–0 Sweden ; (Kyiv, Ukraine; 31 May 2012); Sweden 0–6 Poland ; (Jönköping, Sweden; 14 October 2025)
UEFA U-21 Championship
Appearances	9 (first in 1972)
Best result	Champions (2015)

The Sweden national under-21 football team is the football team representing Sweden in competitions for under-21 year old players and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association. Primarily, it competes to qualify for the biennial UEFA European Under-21 Championship.

Sweden made their first European Under-21 Championship appearance in 1986. In 2015, Sweden became champions for the first time.^[1] They finished second in 1992 and they also reached the semi-finals in 1990 and 2009.^[2] Oscar Hiljemark is the most capped player for the Swedish U21 team, having played 37 caps between 2011 and 2015. Ola Toivonen and Carlos Strandberg are the top goalscorers for the Swedish U21 team, having scored 13 goals each.

Competitive record

Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place Tournament held on home soil

Sweden national under-21 football team celebrating in June 2015, after winning the 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.

UEFA European U-21 Championship

UEFA European Under-21 Championship record									UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1972	Quarter-finals	6th	2	1	0	1	2	3	4	3	0	1	8	2
1974	Did not qualify								4	2	1	1	6	5
1976									4	2	1	1	6	6
1978									4	1	1	2	6	8
1980									4	0	1	3	1	4
1982									4	1	1	2	3	6
1984									4	2	1	1	10	4
1986	Quarter-finals	6th	2	0	1	1	2	3	6	4	1	1	7	3
1988	Did not qualify								6	1	4	1	6	6
1990	Semi-finals	3rd	4	2	1	1	7	4	6	4	2	0	10	2
1992	Runners-up	2nd	6	3	1	2	4	4	6	4	2	0	17	3
1994	Did not qualify								10	4	4	2	21	8
1996	Did not qualify								8	5	1	2	15	4
1998	Quarter-finals	6th	3	1	0	2	3	3	10	9	0	1	30	6
2000	Did not qualify								8	2	0	6	7	15
2002	Did not qualify								12	6	4	2	22	10
2004	Fourth place	4th	5	3	1	1	11	7	10	5	3	2	20	14
2006	Did not qualify								10	6	0	4	16	12
2007	Did not qualify								4	3	0	1	8	6
2009	Semi-finals	3rd	4	2	1	1	12	7	Qualified as hosts
2011	Did not qualify								10	6	2	2	17	10
2013	Did not qualify								12	7	1	4	20	14
2015	Champions	1st	5	2	2	1	7	4	10	6	1	3	24	17
2017	Group stage	9th	3	0	2	1	2	5	10	7	3	0	24	7
2019	Did not qualify								10	6	2	2	19	8
2021									9	5	0	4	28	12
2023									10	5	3	2	22	8
2025									10	5	2	3	25	10
2027	To be determined								6	3	0	3	8	13
Total	1 title	9/28	34	14	9	11	50	40	211	114	41	56	406	223

Players

Current squad

The following 21 players were called up for the 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification matches against North Macedonia and Armenia on 13 and 18 November 2025, respectively.^[3]

Caps and goals updated as of 18 November 2025, after the match against Armenia.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Elis Bishesari	(2005-05-19) 19 May 2005	10	0	IFK Göteborg
12	1GK	André Picornell	(2004-04-03) 3 April 2004	3	0	Gil Vicente
23	1GK	Viktor Andersson	(2004-03-30) 30 March 2004	2	0	IFK Värnamo

2	2DF	Hampus Skoglund	(2004-03-01) 1 March 2004	13	1	Hammarby IF
3	2DF	Bleon Kurtulus	(2007-06-24) 24 June 2007	7	0	Malmö FF
4	2DF	Nils Zätterström	(2005-03-29) 29 March 2005	9	0	Genoa
5	2DF	Matteo Pérez Vinlöf	(2005-12-18) 18 December 2005	12	2	Dinamo Zagreb
13	2DF	Peter Amoran	(2004-05-22) 22 May 2004	4	1	Cesena
14	2DF	Noah Tolf	(2005-08-13) 13 August 2005	5	0	IFK Göteborg
15	2DF	Olle Samuelsson	(2004-05-16) 16 May 2004	2	0	BK Häcken
18	2DF	Felix Eriksson	(2004-05-21) 21 May 2004	2	0	IFK Göteborg

6	3MF	Markus Karlsson	(2004-01-20) 20 January 2004	11	0	Hammarby IF
8	3MF	Lukas Björklund (vice-captain)	(2004-02-16) 16 February 2004	12	2	IF Brommapojkarna
17	3MF	Ludwig Małachowski Thorell	(2005-02-25) 25 February 2005	4	0	Mjällby AIF
19	3MF	Marcus Rafferty	(2004-10-01) 1 October 2004	3	0	Degerfors IF
20	3MF	Jardell Kanga	(2005-12-13) 13 December 2005	3	0	Ilves

7	4FW	Alieu Njie	(2005-05-14) 14 May 2005	4	0	Torino
9	4FW	Richie Omorowa	(2004-03-30) 30 March 2004	11	5	Olympiakos Nicosia
10	4FW	Jonah Kusi-Asare	(2007-07-04) 4 July 2007	10	1	Fulham
11	4FW	Momodou Sonko	(2005-01-31) 31 January 2005	13	3	Gent
16	4FW	Gottfrid Rapp	(2005-08-18) 18 August 2005	5	0	IF Elfsborg

Recent call-ups

The following 32 players, born in 2004 or later, have previously been called up to the squad.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Simon Eriksson	(2006-04-24) 24 April 2006	0	0	Racing Santander	v. Poland, 14 October 2025
GK	Filip Sidklev	(2005-03-12) 12 March 2005	2	0	Al Bidda	v. Republic of Ireland, 17 November 2024

DF	Genesis Antwi	(2007-05-11) 11 May 2007	3	0	Chelsea	v. Armenia, 18 November 2025 ^WD
DF	Fredrik Nissen	(2005-03-28) 28 March 2005	0	0	AIK	v. Armenia, 18 November 2025 ^WD
DF	Elison Makolli	(2005-01-10) 10 January 2005	4	0	AaB	v. Poland, 14 October 2025
DF	Theo Bergvall	(2004-09-21) 21 September 2004	1	0	Lausanne-Sport	v. Poland, 14 October 2025
DF	Jonas Rouhi	(2004-01-07) 7 January 2004	15	1	Carrarese	v. Montenegro, 9 September 2025
DF	Malcolm Jeng	(2005-03-09) 9 March 2005	3	0	Feyenoord	v. Croatia, 10 June 2025
DF	John Mellberg	(2006-07-30) 30 July 2006	1	0	Red Bull Salzburg	v. Croatia, 10 June 2025 ^WD
DF	Moutaz Neffati ^TUN	(2004-09-04) 4 September 2004	1	0	IFK Norrköping	v. Croatia, 10 June 2025

MF	Amin Boudri	(2004-09-29) 29 September 2004	9	1	Los Angeles FC	v. Armenia, 18 November 2025 ^WD
MF	Williot Swedberg	(2004-02-01) 1 February 2004	11	2	Celta Vigo	v. Poland, 14 October 2025
MF	Adrian Skogmar	(2005-11-23) 23 November 2005	2	0	Malmö FF	v. Poland, 14 October 2025 ^WD
MF	Pontus Dahbo	(2005-10-11) 11 October 2005	6	0	BK Häcken	v. Croatia, 10 June 2025
MF	Wilmer Odefalk	(2004-11-21) 21 November 2004	6	0	Pafos	v. Croatia, 10 June 2025
MF	Isak Alemayehu	(2006-10-11) 11 October 2006	1	0	Queens Park Rangers	v. Croatia, 10 June 2025
MF	Lukas Kjellnäs	(2004-06-20) 20 June 2004	2	0	Helsingborgs IF	v. Wales, 23 March 2025
MF	Zakaria Loukili	(2006-01-25) 25 January 2006	2	0	Malmö FF	v. Wales, 23 March 2025
MF	Demirel Hodžić	(2005-03-08) 8 March 2005	2	0	Milan Futuro	v. Republic of Ireland, 17 November 2024
MF	Lucas Bergvall	(2006-02-02) 2 February 2006	5	1	Tottenham Hotspur	v. Croatia, 11 June 2024 ^WD
MF	Hugo Larsson	(2004-06-27) 27 June 2004	3	1	Eintracht Frankfurt	v. North Macedonia, 8 September 2023

FW	Isak Brusberg	(2006-09-05) 5 September 2006	0	0	Raków Częstochowa	v. Armenia, 18 November 2025 ^WD
FW	Leo Östman	(2006-03-15) 15 March 2006	0	0	IF Elfsborg	v. Armenia, 18 November 2025 ^WD
FW	Amar Fatah	(2004-02-19) 19 February 2004	7	0	Dundee United	v. Poland, 14 October 2025 ^WD
FW	Taha Ayari	(2005-05-10) 10 May 2005	2	0	AIK	v. Poland, 14 October 2025
FW	Roony Bardghji (captain)	(2005-11-15) 15 November 2005	12	3	Barcelona	v. Montenegro, 9 September 2025
FW	Jeremy Agbonifo	(2005-10-24) 24 October 2005	8	2	Basel	v. Montenegro, 9 September 2025
FW	Victor Andersson	(2004-10-22) 22 October 2004	2	0	AIK	v. Croatia, 10 June 2025 ^WD
FW	Kenan Bilalović	(2005-06-22) 22 June 2005	2	0	Aberdeen	v. Croatia, 10 June 2025
FW	Elias Pihlström	(2006-08-31) 31 August 2006	2	0	Lugano	v. Wales, 23 March 2025
FW	August Ljungberg	(2005-05-13) 13 May 2005	1	0	IK Sirius	v. Republic of Ireland, 17 November 2024
FW	Deniz Gül ^TUR	(2004-07-02) 2 July 2004	6	2	Porto	v. Netherlands, 14 October 2024
Notes ^WD = Player withdrew from the squad ^TUN = Switched to Tunisia national team ^TUR = Switched to Turkey national team

Previous squads

Players with most caps and goals

Updated as of 7 June 2018. Note that the matches played by Sweden Olympic football team in 1992 and 2016 are included here, as the Swedish Football Association recognizes them as Under-21 matches.

Top 10 most capped players

Oscar Hiljemark holds the record for most appearances made for the team, having 37 caps.

#	Player	Career	Caps	Goals
1	Oscar Hiljemark	2011–2015	37	4
2	Alexander Farnerud	2002–2006	36	12
3	Jonny Rödlund	1990–1993	35	11
4	Simon Tibbling	2012–2017	33	2
5	Magnus Johansson	1990–1993	32	0
6	Mikael Dorsin	2000–2004	31	1
6	Mattias Bjärsmyr	2005–2009	31	0
8	Johan Elmander	2000–2004	30	12
	Tommy Jönsson	1995–1998	30	2
	Sven Andersson	1981–1986	30	0

Top 10 goalscorers

Ola Toivonen, with 13 goals is the team's joint top goalscorer with Carlos Strandberg, Toivonen being the first to reach the tally.

#	Player	Career	Goals	Caps
1	Carlos Strandberg	2015–2018	13	18
1	Ola Toivonen	2006–2009	13	28
3	Pär-Olof Ohlsson	1972–1977	12	19
	John Guidetti	2010–2015	12	23
	Johan Elmander	2000–2004	12	30
	Alexander Farnerud	2002–2006	12	36
7	Mikael Ishak	2012–2016	11	27
7	Jonny Rödlund	1990–1993	11	35
9	Niklas Skoog	1994–1995	10	14
10	Tord Grip	1958–1961	9	10
10	Lasse Larsson	1982–1987	9	10

References

^ "EM-guld efter straffdrama!" (in Swedish). Svenskfotboll. Archived from the original on 1 July 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
^ "EM-sorti på straffar efter mirakelvändning" (in Swedish). Svenskfotboll. Archived from the original on 29 June 2009. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
^ "U21-landslagets novembertrupp" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. 5 November 2025. Retrieved 5 November 2025.

External links

Official website

[1] "EM-guld efter straffdrama!" (in Swedish). Svenskfotboll. Archived from the original on 1 July 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2014.

[2] "EM-sorti på straffar efter mirakelvändning" (in Swedish). Svenskfotboll. Archived from the original on 29 June 2009. Retrieved 24 February 2014.

[3] "U21-landslagets novembertrupp" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. 5 November 2025. Retrieved 5 November 2025.

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