Almost every teammate who sits down for an interview with journalists during the football national team's camp in Åhus gives the same answer to the question.
Stina Blackstenius will become the top scorer in the European Championship in Switzerland.
They are nice words and fun that they hope so, says the main person herself.
Goals in two Olympic Games finals
Blackstenius is the player in Sweden's squad who has scored the most championship goals and many of her total 13 full hits in the Olympic Games, World Championship or European Championship have been directly decisive for Swedish advancement in knockout matches.
No explanation for why she steps forward in the big matches – she has, for example, scored goals in two Olympic Games finals – the 29-year-old does not have.
Very difficult to answer. They are the absolute most fun matches to play, but what it depends on, I actually do not know.
After a tough spring, she put herself in the spotlight for her Arsenal in club football's biggest match. With the final's only goal against Barcelona, she shot the Champions League title to the London club.
Ten days later – in early June – the striker accounted for a hat-trick when Sweden ran over Denmark 6–1 in the Nations League.
When it comes to self-confidence, it's always fun to score and feel that you have something to build on.
How important is it to have a sense of self-confidence?
Self-confidence is very important and it does not always come by itself. Sometimes it's about extremely small margins as well. To score that goal or not, she says and continues:
Somewhere I have become older and try to see other parts of the game as well, even though I know that it is a huge part to be able to manage good opportunities. It can many times be match-deciding.
Logs out
All factors that can affect self-confidence, she now shuts out. Blackstenius logs out completely from social media and reads nothing about the matches during the championships.
Just to shut out what might possibly have affected me or gotten to me.
So that it can affect performance?
I'm not saying it does, but I do not want to take the risk that it can affect in any way.
Earlier in her national team career, she did not have the same strategy.
It was probably where I got a little experience that I can still be affected and think it's sad that things get to me, says Stina Blackstenius.
Daniel Kihlström/TT
Lasse Mannheimer/TT
Facts: Stina Blackstenius
TT
Born: 5 February 1996.
Position: Striker.
Club: Arsenal.
Previous clubs: Vadstena, Linköping, Montpellier, Linköping, Häcken.
A-international matches/goals: 116/38.
Main merits: Champions League victory with Arsenal 2025, Olympic Games silver 2021 and 2016, World Championship bronze 2023 and 2019, Swedish championship gold with Häcken 2020 and with Linköping 2016, two league cup titles with Arsenal 2023 and 2024.
The build-up
23–25 June: Training in Åhus.
26 June: Rehearsal against Norway in Oslo.
European Championship
4 July (18.00): Denmark-Sweden, Geneva.
8 July (21.00): Poland-Sweden, Lucerne.
12 July (21.00): Sweden-Germany, Zurich.
17 or 19 July: Possible quarterfinal.
22–23 July: Possible semifinal.
27 July: Possible final.
