The Swedish Connection

Sweden is famous for its high quality of life, sustainable living practices, innovative design aesthetic with brands such as Volvo and IKEA, its numerous islands, lakes and forests, its köttbollar (meatballs) and much more but also for its football.

Famous Swedes include;  in music ABBA, The Cardigans, Roxette, Refused and Europe, in literature Karin Boye, Astrid Lindgren Stieg Larsson and Henning Mankell, in cinema Greta Garbo, Ingmar Bergman, Ingrid Bergman, Max von Sydow, Stellan Skarsgård and Lena Olin, scientist Alfred Nobel, activist Greta Thunberg, in sport tennis players Björn Borg, Stefan Edberg and Mats Wilander, skier Ingemar Stenmark, table tennis Jan-Ove Waldner, ice-hockey Henrik Lundqvist and Peter Forsberg, pole vaulter Armand Duplantis and heptathlete Carolina Klüft.

Sweden have participated in 12 World Cups, their best result being runners up in their home tournament in 1958plus two 3rd places in 1950 and 1954. They have taken part in 7 European Championships, reaching the semifinal in 1992. At club level the Swedes have won 2 UEFA Cups with IFK Göteborg (1982, 1987). They also qualified for the 2026 World Cup where they lost in the Round of 32 against France.

Sweden's top players in their history include; Johan Gunnar Gren, Nils Gunnar Nordahl, Nils Liedholm, Kurt Hamrin, Hans Jeppson, Lennart Skoglund, Fredrik Ljungberg, Henrik Larsen and Zlatan Ibrahimović to current Alexander Isak.

The Swedish domestic league is called the Allsvenskan and the most successful clubs are: Malmö (24 league titles), IFK Göteborg (18), IFK Norrköping (13), Djurgårdens (12), AIK (11), Helsingborgs (5), IF Elfsborg (6), Halmstads (4). The current champions are shock first time winners Mjällby (from a town of under 2,000 inhabitants whose ground holds 6,750 spectators)

Sweden are currently ranked 39th by FIFA.

Here are some Swedes who have played in Italy and for Lazio.

1950's and 60's

• Åke Hjalmarsson - midfielder - Torino 1949-50 and 1951-52 (39 league games and 10 goals)

• Johan Gunnar Gren - midfielder - Milan 1949-53, Fiorentina 1953-55, Genoa 1955-56 (217 league games and 45 goals with 1 Scudetto). He earned 57 caps with 32 goals. He won Olympic Gold in 1948.

• Nils Gunnar Nordahl - forward - Milan 1949-55, Roma 1956-58 (291 league games and 225 goals with 2 league titles with Milan and a record 5 times top Serie A scorer). He won Olympic Gold in 1948.

• Nils Liedholm - midfielder - Milan 1949-61 (359 league games and 81 goals winning the Scudetto 4 times). He earned 23 caps with 12 goals and won Olympic Gold in 1948.

These last three made up the formidable and unforgettable Gre-No-Li trio.

Source Wikipedia

Stig Sundqvist - midfielder - Roma 1950-53 (78 league games and 20 goals). He won Serie B in 1952. He earned 11 caps with 3 goals.

Sune Andersson - midfielder- Roma 1950-52 (59 league games, 12 goals). He was nicknamed Mona-Lisa and he won a Serie B. He came from AIK and left for IFK Eskilstuna, then Kalmar and Södertälje. He earned 28 caps with 4 goals and won an Olympic Gold in 194i.

Karl Lennart Skoglund - forward - Inter 1950-59, Sampdoria 1959-62, Palermo 1962-63 (235 league games and 70 goals). He earned 11 caps with 1 goal. He won the Scudetto twice with Inter.

Hans "Hasse" Olof Jeppson - forward - Atalanta 1951-52, Napoli 1952-56, Torino 1956-57 (158 league games and 81 goals). He earned 12 caps with 9 goals. He was also an excellent tennis player.

Sigvard Löfgren - midfielder - Lazio

Source Lazio Wiki

Sigvard Löfgren, known as "Sigge", arrived at Lazio from Helsingborg in 1951. He stayed four seasons.

In 1951-52 the manager was Giuseppe Bigogno and Lazio finished 4th. Löfgren played 20 league games with 7 goals (Lucchese, Atalanta, Bologna, Milan, Triestina, Inter, Triestina). A good first season.

In 1952-53 Bigogno started but was replaced by Alfredo Notti after 25 games. Lazio finished 10th and Löfgren was out all season due to injury. With Roma back in Serie A Lazio won both derbies.

In 1953-54 Mario Sperone started as manager but was replaced by Federico Allasio after 24 games. Lazio finished 11th and Löfgren played 18 league games with 1 goal (Triestina).

In 1954-55 Allasio started but was replaced by George Raynor after 7 games. Lazio finished 12th and Löfgren played 24 league games with 2 goals (SPAL, Genoa). Lazio won another derby 3-1 and also beat Juventus 2-1 and Inter 3-2.

He then left Lazio after 62 league games and 10 goals.

He spent one more season at SPAL. He played a total of 85 league games in Italy with 19 goals.

Arne Selmosson - forward- Lazio

Source Wikipedia

Arne Selmosson arrived at Lazio from Udinese in 1955. He stayed three seasons with the Biancocelesti.

In 1955-56 the manager was first Luigi Ferrero and then Jesse Carver and Lazio finished 3rd. Selmosson played 34 league games with 10 goals (Padova, Atalanta, Inter, Triestina, Bologna, Inter, SPAL, Juventus, Pro Patria, Genoa).

In 1956-57 the manager was Carver and Lazio finished 3rd again. Selmosson played 34 league games and scored 12 goals (Bologna, Atalanta, Triestina, Padova, Genoa, Torino, Palermo, Fiorentina, Bologna, Roma, Napoli, Torino).

In 1957-58 the manager was first Mirovan Ćirić and then Alfredo Monza. Lazio finished 12th and Selmosson played 33 league games and scored 9 goals (Bologna, Inter, Napoli, Atalanta, Napoli, Roma, Juventus, Torino, Verona). In the summer and autumn Lazio then won the Coppa Italia under Fulvio Bernardini but Selmosson had already left for Roma….

Lazio were in financial difficulty and had to sell but unfortunately Roma were the highest bidders so reluctantly the Swede was forced to cross the Tiber to the Giallorossi. It was a huge event in Rome as he was immensely popular. At Lazio he played 101 league games with 31 goals.

He then spent three seasons with Roma before returning to Udinese for another three.

"Raggio di Luna" (Moonbeam) as he was known played 295 league games in Italy with 93 goals. He is one of only three players to have scored for both sides in a Roman derby (with Pedro and Kolarov). He was a great success in Italy.

Sigvard Löfgren - midfielder - Lazio

Source Lazio Wiki

Sigvard Löfgren, known as "Sigge", arrived at Lazio from Helsingborg in 1951. He stayed four seasons.

In 1951-52 the manager was Giuseppe Bigogno and Lazio finished 4th. Löfgren played 20 league games with 7 goals (Lucchese, Atalanta, Bologna, Milan, Triestina, Inter, Triestina). A good first season.

In 1952-53 Bigogno started but was replaced by Alfredo Notti after 25 games. Lazio finished 10th and Löfgren was out all season due to injury. With Roma back in Serie A Lazio won both derbies.

In 1953-54 Mario Sperone started as manager but was replaced by Federico Allasio after 24 games. Lazio finished 11th and Löfgren played 18 league games with 1 goal (Triestina).

In 1954-55 Allasio started but was replaced by George Raynor after 7 games. Lazio finished 12th and Löfgren played 24 league games with 2 goals (SPAL, Genoa). Lazio won another derby 3-1 and also beat Juventus 2-1 and Inter 3-2.

He then left Lazio after 62 league games and 10 goals.

He spent one more season at SPAL. He played a total of 85 league games in Italy with 19 goals.

Bengt Lindskog - midfielder - Udinese 1956-58, Inter 1958-61, Lecco 1961-64 (211 league games and 69 goals). He earned 14 caps with 1 goal.

Jan Aronsson - midfielder - Vicenza 1956-58 (63 league games and 16 goals). He earned 2 caps for Sweden.

Bengt Gustavsson - defender -Atalanta 1956-61 (145 league games). He won Serie B in 1959. He earned 57 caps.

Kurt Hamrin - forward - Juventus 1956-57, Padova 1957-58, Fiorentina 1958-67, Milan 1967-69, Napoli 1969-71 (400 league games and 191 goals, with 1 Scudetto, 1 European Cup and 1 Cup Winners Cup with Milan and 1 Cup Winners Cup and the Coppa Italia twice with Fiorentina). He earned 32 caps with 16 goals.

Rune Börjesson - midfielder - Juventus 1961, Palermo on loan 1961-63 (38 league games and 10 goals). He earned 20 caps with 17 goals.

1980's

Glenn Strömberg - midfielder - Atalanta 1984-92 (19 league games  and 18 goals). He is a legend in Bergamo. He previously played for IFK Göteborg (1 league title and UEFA Cup) and Benfica (1 league titlea). He earned 52 caps with 7 goals.

Glenn Hysén - defender - Fiorentina 1987-89 (61 league games and 1 goal). He left for Liverpool (1 league title) and previously UFK Göteborg (3 league titles and 2 UEFA Cups). He earned 68 caps with 7 goals. 

Robert Prytz - midfielder - Atalanta 1988-89, Verona 1989-93 (152 league games and 22 goals). He previously played for Malmö FF and Rangers and later for Young Boys, Kilmarnock and East Fife amongst others. He earned 56 caps with 13 goals. 

1990's

Tomas Brolin - forward - Parma 1990-95, 1997 (148 league games and 20 goals, 1 Coppa Italia, 1 Cup Winners Cup, 1 UEFA Cup and 1 UEFA Super Cup). He left for Leeds, Zurich, returned to Parma, then Crystal Palace. He earned 47 caps with 26 goals.

Jonas Thern- midfielder - Napoli 1992-94 (59 games, 1 goal), Roma 1994-97 (69 games, 4 goals). He left for Rangers and previously played for Malmö FF (winning the double), Zurich and Benfica (a league title). He earned 75 caps with 6 goals

Klas Ingesson - midfielder - Bari 1995-98, Bologna 1998-2000, Lecce 2001 (177 league games and 16 goals). He also played for IFK Göteborg, Malines, PSV, Sheffield Weds and Olympique Marseille. He earned 57 caps with 13 goals. He died young at 46 due to myeloma.

Stefan Schwarz - midfielder - Fiorentina 1995-98 (78 league games and 2 goals, 1 Coppa Italia and 1 Supercoppa Italiana). He also played for Malmö FF (2 league titles), Benfica (2 league titles), Arsenal, Valencia and Sunderland. He earned 69 caps with 6 goals.

Martin Dahlin - forward- Roma 1996 (4 games). He came from and went back to Borussia Mönchengladbach. In Sweden he had played for Malmö FF (a league title) and after Borussia also played for Blackburn Rovers and Hamburgher SV. He earned 61 caps with 29 goals

Jesper Blomqvist - midfielder - Milan 1996-97, Parma 1997-98 (47 league games and 2 goals). He also played for IFK Göteborg (3 league titles), Manchester United (3 league titles, a Champions League, FA Cup and Intercontinental Cup), Everton, Charlton, Djurgården (2 league titles) and Hammarby. He earned 31 caps. He then became a chef and in 2023 won the Swedish Masterchef.

Andreas Andersson- forward- Milan 1997-98 (12 league games with 1 goal). He had previously played for Degerfors and IFK Göteborg (1 league title) and left for Newcastle United and then AIK back in Sweden. He earned 43 caps with 8 goals.

Kennet Andersson - forward - Lazio

Official SS Lazio photo

Kennet Andersson arrived at Lazio from Bologna on loan in 1999. The manager was compatriot Sven-Goran Eriksson but Andersson did not get much playing time, faced with competition from Marcelo Salas, Alen Boksic, Simone Inzaghi and Roberto Mancini. In November he returned to Bologna after playing only 2 league games but won a UEFA Supercup. In Bologna he continued to do well. In Italy before Bologna he played at Bari for a season and when he left for Turkey in June 2000 he had played 149 league games and scored 45 goals.

In Turkey he played for Fenerbahçe (a league title). He previously had played for IFK Göteborg (2 league titles), Malines, IFK Norrköping, Lille and Caen.

He earned 83 caps with 31 goals.

2000-2024

Karl Corneliusson - defender - Salernitana 2003-04 in B (22 league games and 2 goals), Napoli in C on loan (11 league games), Salernitana 2005 in B (7 league games). He left for Landskrona Bols and previously had played for Örgryte and AIk. He earned 9 caps with 1 goal.

Magnus Hedman - goalkeeper- Ancona 2004 in A (3 league games) six months on loan from Celtic. He previously played for AIK and Coventry City. He returned to Celtic and then Chelsea. He earned 58 caps for Sweden.

Zlatan Ibrahimović - forward - Juventus 2004-06, Inter 2006-09, Milan 2010-2012 and 2020-23 (283 league games and 156 goals). He won the  Scudetto 5 times (3 Inter and 2 Milan) and Supercoppa 3 times (2 Inter, 1 Milan). He was top Serie A scorer twice.

He also played for Ajax (2 league titles), Barcelona (a league title, UEFA Super Cup and World Cup for Clubs), PSG (4 league titles), Manchester United (a Europa League) and LA Galaxy. 

He earned 122 caps for Sweden with 62 goals. He is considered Sweden's best player since the Gre-No -Li era.

He is now senior advisor at Milan.

Olof Mellberg - defender - Juventus 2008-09 (27 league games and 2 goals). He also played for Degerfors, AIK (a league title), Racing Santander, Aston Villa, Olympiakos (2 league titles) Villarreal and Copenhagen. He earned 117 caps with 18 goals and was captain 33 times.

Mathias Ranégie - forward- Udinese Aug 2012-Jan 14 (30 games, 1 goal). He previously played for IFK Göteborg (1 league title), Go Ahead Eagles (Holland), Håcken and Malmö and left for Watford then Dalian Aerbin (China) and Djurgården He earned 5 caps with 1 goal.

Pontus Jansson - defender- Torino 2014-16 (25 games, 1 goal). He  came from Malmö (2 league titles)and then joined Leeds United, Brentford and Malmö again (2 more league titles). He earned 27 caps.

Filip Helander - defender- Verona 2015-17 in A and B (28 games and 2 goals), Bologna 2016-19 (63 games and 1 goal against Lazio...). He arrived from Malmö FF (2 league titles) left for Rangers (a double), then Odense (Denmark), Omonia (Cyprus) and Hacken back in Sweden. He earned 23 caps and won European Championship with the U21s.

Emil Krafth - defender- Bologna 2015-18 (45 games, 1 goal). He previously played for Östers and Helsingborg and left for Amiens then Newcastle United. He earned 52 caps.

Marcus Rohdén - midfielder- Crotone 2016-19 A and B (80 games, 5 goals), Frosinone B 2019-2023 (120 games, 10 goals). He had previously played for Elfsborg and left Italy for Fatih Karagümruk (Turkey) and then AEK Larnaca (Cyprus). He earned 19 Sweden caps with 2 goals.

Dejan Kulusevski - midfielder -Atalanta 2018-19, Parma 2019-20, Juventus 2020-22 (94 league games and 15 goals, 1 Coppa Italia 1 Supercoppa Italiana). He left for Tottenham Hotspurs (1 Europa League). He has 45 caps with 5 goals.

Emanuel Ekong - forward- Empoli  in A 2021-23 (2 games), Perugia in B 2022-23 (9 games), Empoli in A Aug 2023 (2 games), Empoli in A 2024-Jan 2025 (18 games, 2 goals). He left for Malmö FF.

Joel Voelkerling Persson - forward Roma 2021-22 (0 games), Lecce 2022-23 (9 league games) and 2025 (0 games). He left for Öster and now FC Rosengard (Malmö).

Alexander Jallow - defender- Brescia in B 2022-25 (82 games and 3 goals). He left for IFK Göteborg

Jens Cajuste - midfielder- Napoli -2023-24 (35 games). He arrived from Stade Reims (previously Örgryte and Midttjylland) and left for Ipswich Town on loan. He has 25 caps for Sweden.

Zinedin Smajlović - defender- Lecce  in A 2023-24 (0 games), Lecco on loan in B 2024 (0 games). He left for Sandviken and then Sandefjord, both in Norway.

Samuel Dahl- defender- Roma 2024-Feb 25 (3 games). He had previously played for Västerås, Örebro and Djurgården and left Italy  for Benfica. He has 2 caps for Sweden.

Sweden also had two highly successful managers in Italy.

Sven-Göran Eriksson (Roma 1984-87, Fiorentina 1987-89, Sampdoria 1992-97, Lazio 1997-2001). He won the Coppa Italia 4 times (2 with Lazio), the Supercoppa Italiana twice (both with Lazio), a Cup Winners Cup (Lazio), a European Super Cup (Lazio) and above all a historic Scudetto with Lazio in 1999-2000.

Official SS Lazio photo

Nils Liedholm (Milan 1964-66, Verona 1966-68, Monza 1968-69, Varese 1969-71, Fiorentina 1971-73, Roma 1973-77, Milan 1977-79, Roma 1979-84, Milan 1984-87, Roma 1987-89 as technical director, 1992 Verona, 1997 Roma). He won the Scudetto twice (Milan, Roma) and the Coppa Italia 3 times plus a Serie B championship with Varese.

Nils Liedholm -Milan 1964-66, Verona 1966-68, Monza 1968-69, Varese 1969-71, Fiorentina 1971-73, Roma 1973-77, Milan 1977-79, Roma 1979-84, Milan 1984-87, Roma 1987-89 as technical director, 1992 Verona, 1997 Roma. He won the Scudetto twice (Milan, Roma) and the Coppa Italia 3 times plus a Serie B championship with Varese.

In 2025-26

There were 10 Swedes in Serie A:

• Emil Holm (Bologna, now Juventus),

• Jesper Karlsson (Lecce, now Udinese),

• Pontus Almqvist (Parma),

• Isak Hien (Atalanta),

• Amin Sarr (Verona),

• Alieu Njie (Torino),

• Jacob Ondrejka (Parma), (Udinese),

• Adrian Lahdo (Como),

• Nils Zätterström (Genoa), 

• Noel Törnqvist (Como)

In Serie B

• Arvid Brorsson (Monza, promoted to A)

• Jonas Rouhi (Carrarese, on loan from Juventus)

In C

• Riccardo Gagliolo (Ascoli, promoted to B)

• Peter Amoran (Perugia)