In less than half a year, Sweden and Denmark will meet three times. First in the Nations League premiere in Odense, then also in Solna in early June. And then the best is saved for last: the European Championship premiere in Geneva on July 4.
These are the kind of matches you love to play, with a little extra rivalry and feelings that come up, says Johanna Rytting Kaneryd.
"Extremely important"
Last year's Diamantbollen winner wants to establish respect directly with a victory on Danish soil.
Extremely important. We have an ambition to win all football matches, but we want to get a good start. Especially now, when we're going to meet three times. Then it becomes extra important to feel that we've made a good performance after the match tomorrow.
The sun is shining, but it's icy February winds that are blowing in over Odense when Blågult trains on the match arena ahead of Friday evening's rivalry meeting.
The World Championship in Brazil 2027 feels infinitely far away, but the fact is that the outcome of this year's Nations League also affects the opportunities for Blågult to get there.
It's about hanging on
Italy and Wales are also in the Nations League group, and a minimum requirement for Sweden is not to come last and thus fall out of the A division. It's namely only teams from the A division that can solve one of the four direct places when next year's World Cup qualifiers are decided. Otherwise, the road to the World Cup becomes more complicated.
After the last Nations League (2023), we had to qualify against Bosnia-Herzegovina and stayed in the A group. Even for the World Cup qualifiers ahead, it's important that everyone is aware of it, that it's a competitive match in that sense, says outgoing national team captain Peter Gerhardsson, who wants to give his successor Tony Gustavsson the best possible conditions.
Denmark's Swedish national team captain Andrée Jeglertz also emphasizes the importance of Friday's match – even if it can't compare to the summer's European Championship meeting.
Nations League is first and foremost a competitive match, it's definitely that. But then there are some things we've done at the camp and the gathering that are European Championship preparations, so it is. But out on the pitch and all the tactical – then it's just about winning, says Jeglertz.
Carl Göransson/TT
Lasse Mannheimer/TT
Facts: This is how Sweden's Nations League is played
TT
Sweden plays in the A division's group 4. The group winner qualifies for the semifinal. The last-placed team is relegated to league B.
Sweden's matches:
February 21: Denmark (Odense, 19.15)
February 25: Wales (Wrexham, 20.15)
April 4: Italy (Solna, 19.00)
April 8: Wales (Göteborg, 19.00)
May 30: Italy (away, time and place not yet clear)
June 3: Denmark (Solna, 19.00)
