The 32-year-old center back has made three short appearances for Arsenal since her comeback after becoming a parent for the first time. She needs more time than that before it's time to throw her into the fray with the national team, says Peter Gerhardsson.
The national team captain, who will be leaving after the European Championship this summer, has in consultation with Arsenal coach Renée Slegers chosen to take it slow with Ilestedt.
We've talked to Amanda and also with Renée. She's on her way back and gets a few minutes in Arsenal now. But we felt it was a bit too early to go into this gathering with competitive matches in the Nations League, says Gerhardsson.
VM Success
Sweden starts the Nations League matches with away games against Denmark and Wales. In the next gathering, home games against Italy and Wales await, and to these, Amanda Ilestedt is highly likely. In July, the highlight of the year begins: the European Championship in Switzerland.
In the last major championship, the World Championship in Australia and New Zealand 2023, Ilestedt emerged as one of Sweden's key players and showed the way to the World Championship bronze with her four goals.
I hope and believe that she will take further steps during the coming months in Arsenal and therefore be really competitive for the next gathering, says Peter Gerhardsson.
National Team Debutant
One who is also missing due to pregnancy is Zecira Musovic. The Chelsea goalkeeper will become a mother and will definitely miss the European Championship this summer if everything goes according to plan. In her absence, IFK Norrköping's Sofia Hjern, 22, gets the chance in the national team for the first time, behind Häcken's Jennifer Falk and Vålerenga's Tove Enblom.
You also have to do without a number of sharp offensive weapons. Arsenal duo Rosa Kafaji and Lina Hurtig, Fiorentina's Madelen Janogy and Häcken's Anna Anvegård all have injury problems.
Sweden starts the Nations League against Denmark in Odense on February 21. Four days later, a match against Wales in Wrexham awaits.
Goalkeepers: Jennifer Falk, Häcken, Tove Enblom, Vålerengen, Sofia Hjern, IFK Norrköping.
Defenders: Jonna Andersson, Linköping, Nathalie Björn, Chelsea, Magdalena Eriksson, Bayern München, Emma Kullberg, Juventus, Hanna Lundkvist, San Diego, Amanda Nildén, Tottenham, Linda Sembrant, Bayern München, Hanna Wijk, Häcken.
Midfielders and forwards: Filippa Angeldahl, Real Madrid, Kosovare Asllani, London City Lionesses, Hanna Bennison, Juventus, Stina Blackstenius, Arsenal, Rebecka Blomqvist, Wolfsburg, My Cato, Crystal Palace, Evelyn Ijeh, Milan, Sofia Jakobsson, London City Lionesses, Fridolina Rolfö, Barcelona, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Chelsea, Matilda Vinberg, Tottenham, Julia Zigiotti Olme, Bayern München.
