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| Career | |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Clubs: | Guldhedens (1980-90), Hestrafors (1990-92), Elfsborg (1993-2001), Southampton (England since 2001) |
| International appearances: | 46 |
| International goals: | 10 |
| International debut: | 27/11/1999, South Africa-Sweden (1-0) |
| Last international appearance: | 28/05/2004, Finland-Sweden (1-3) |
| First international goal: | 02/09/2000, Azerbaijan-Sweden (0-1) |
| Last international goal: | 20/08/2003, Sweden-Greece (1-2) |
Appearances: 1 (2002), 4 matches, 1 goal
Second round (2002)
Winner (2001)
Biography
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| Swedish midfielder Anders Svensson (R) celebrates after he scored on free kick as Swedish defender Teddy Lucic looks onduring the Group F first round last match Sweden/Argentina of the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan, 12 June 2002 at Myagi Stadium. AFP PHOTO DANIEL GARCIA |
Anders Svensson shot to international attention during the 2002 World Cup when he scored what was widely described as a wonder goal, one which inflicted a mortal wound on pre-tournament favourites Argentina.
It remains one of the lasting memories from the first round action.
Sweden had been drawn in the so called 'Group of Death' along with England, Nigeria and the Latin Americans, who needed a win in their last match against the Swedes to qualify for the second round.
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| Sweden's midfielder Niclas Alexandersson (7) is hugged by midfielder Anders Svensson after Alexandersson scored the only goal for his team during match 5 group F of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea Japan opposing England and Sweden in Saitama, Japan, 02 June, 2002. The match ended in a 1-1 draw. AFP PHOTO WILLIAM WEST |
Just before the hour mark Sweden won a free kick some 30-metres out. Henrik Larsson was preparing to take it but Svensson begged the striker to let him try his luck, the subsequent curling strike ending in a spectacular goal.
"When I saw the ball go in I went crazy. I ran around like crazy. It was crazy," he said of his wild celebration. No doubt some of his countrymen were rather pleased too.
Although Hernan Crespo equalised with two minutes to go many Argentina players left the pitch in tears as England and Sweden qualified for the second round.
Svensson had always been something of a talismanic player for Sweden, who tend to do far better with the midfielder in the side than when he is out.
In qualifying directly for Euro2004 Sweden won Group 4 ahead of Latvia and Poland, against whom Svensson scored two goals in a crucial 3-0 win to ease ahead of the team originally seen as their greatest threat.
The stocky blond actually scores more goals with his head, is a tough tackler and can opperate as a playmaker or in the recuperator holding position.
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| Arsenal's Robert Pires (R) fights for the ball with Southampton's Anders Svensson during their English FA Premiership match at Highbury 07 May 2003 in London. AFP PHOTO Nicolas ASFOURI. |
He was born July 17, 1976 and his early career took shape at Elfsborg, where he scored 36 times in 155 matches and lifted the Swedish cup in 2001 before joining several of his international teammates in the English Premiership.
Having made his international debut in November 1999 in a 1-0 win over South Africa he was something of a bargain for Southampton at around 1 million euros in July 2001.
He was an established regular when Southampton made it to the English FA Cup final in 2003, however they were beaten by Arsenal 1-0 in a scrappy affair in Cardiff.
At the start of the 2003-04 season he fell out of favour with Southampton manager Gordon Strachan, possibly for his meagre goal tally in England, and is tipped for a possible return to Sweden at Gothenburg or even a switch to Spain.