The Swedish Shooting King: "I have two tricks"

Total of 124 handball national team matches have been played by Albin Lagergren, the 32-year-old who in Oslo is playing his 12th consecutive championship since his debut in Rio-OS 2016.

The question is whether the right-hander from Varberg has ever been as good as now.

It was like that in the beginning when I joined, but not for many years, anyway. The European Championship 2018 and World Championship 2017 would be the two best championships, says Lagergren.

Many goals in each match

He has always had a low-key style when he talks, but takes more initiative on the pitch. In four matches in the World Championship, Lagergren has maintained a high level throughout. At least seven goals in each match have been scored – and with 31 goals on 36 shots, he is among the top scorers in the tournament.

At the beginning of the season, Lagergren was mostly benched in the German top club Magdeburg, but when Omar Ingi Magnusson got injured, the Swede instead gained great confidence.

The body feels very good right now, and it may have to do with not playing so much at the beginning of the season and getting some rest, says he.

Has the national team captain change also changed your role in the national team a bit?

Well, maybe. I think "Mickes" game suits me quite well. There are many duels and we want to have a lot of movement and get the defenders to move.

Hoping for Spain

Lagergren usually uses either the "ball-bearing trick" and goes to the right, or makes a step-over and goes to the left. There are no more tricks in the arsenal, he says. The Halland native is still hard to stop.

I usually decide very late. Often I have an idea of which trick I want to do, but depending on what the defender does, I can change at the last moment.

Albin Lagergren's fine offense is also needed tonight against Brazil, the first of two must-win matches that conclude Sweden's intermediate round in Oslo.

Before Sweden's match, Portugal and Spain meet in a settlement that affects the blue and yellow team's chances of winning the group.

If Spain wins, we have a chance to become number one, of course you hope that Spain will win. But first and foremost, we must do our job. That's what we're focusing on and thinking about right now.

Carl Göransson/TT