It says something about the 31-year-old that it takes him to lose a football tennis match, but he has also had the attitude of not giving up, always wanting to win, that has characterized a varied and far from straightforward career.
The reward came late. Now he has won 27 of the finest he knows – to play for the national team.
Sema broke into the national team seriously during Janne Andersson's last time as national team coach. The successor Jon Dahl Tomasson has not had a different opinion about Sema's suitability and suitability.
“Done well”
Do you feel that if you're in shape, you're in?
It feels like I've done well when I've been given the chance and that I've earned the right to get it. But it can go up and down quickly. You have to continue to perform.
Friday evening's 2-0 against Hungary in Budapest meant a blue-yellow boost in many ways.
We show that we can play in different ways. Many have been wondering when we meet better teams, if we just have to go. Now we showed that we can play a bit lower and control a match.
For the left winger Sema, a somewhat different role was waiting.
I might become a bit more defensive, but that's something I've done before. The difference is not super big. I'll be aggressive and I'll try to go forward when we have the ball. I'll have to run a bit more, but that's something I'm used to. It's just my thing, Sema said.
“We can go far”
Setting the defense and beating a strong opponent like Hungary was, according to Sema, “extremely important".
It showed that we have created a team that knows how to play, what we should do regardless of who is with us. It makes us strong. We can play in different ways and have different types of players. We can go far.
The move from Watford to Pafos on Cyprus has done him good.
I'm doing well, it's a bit new, of course, after a long time in England. It will be a new daily routine, but it's nice and safe for my family. It was very important for me, not least because it looks like it does in Europe.
It was also a longer contract, which feels secure. You don't get younger, Sema said.
Henrik Skiöld/TT
Facts: The situation in the national team
TT
+ Isak Hien and Gabriel Gudmundsson missed Sunday's collective training. They ran a customized rehabilitation training instead.
+ Goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt was satisfied with a recovery training on his own.
+ Victor Nilsson Lindelöf – he is about to become a father – is still part of the team but will not join.
+ It has been clear since earlier that Viktor Johansson will start in goal and Anthony Elanga has been given leave for private reasons.
+ The match against Algeria will be played at Strawberry arena on Tuesday.
