Stockholm: Juventus’ Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Barcelona’s Henrik Larsson were named among the six strikers in Sweden’s World Cup squad on Tuesday while right back Alexander Ostlund was dropped in a defensive shake-up.
Ostlund, who plays for Southampton, was heavily criticised after Sweden lost 0-3 to Ireland in a friendly match in March.
Lars Lagerback brought in IFK Gothenburg’s Karl Svensson and Fredrik Stenman who has had a strong first season with Bayer Leverkusen but never played for Sweden.
Another surprise was Fredriksborg’s Rami Shaaban as one of three goalkeepers, with Eddie Gustafsson of Ham-Kam left out.
Shaaban played three games for Arsenal in 2002 before breaking his leg during training later that year and he never played for the London side again.
The Swedish 23
Goalkeepers: Andreas Isaksson (Stade Rennes), John Alvbage (Viborg), Rami Shaaban (Fredrikstad)
Defenders: Erik Edman (Stade Rennes), Petter Hansson (Heerenveen), Teddy Lucic (BK Hacken), Olof Mellberg (Aston Villa), Karl Svensson (IFK Gothenburg), Mikael Nilsson (Panathinaikos), Fredrik Stenman (Bayer Leverkusen)
Midfielders: Daniel Andersson (Malmo), Niclas Alexandersson (IFK Gothenburg), Kim Kallstrom (Stade Rennes), Tobias Linderoth (FC Copenhagen), Christian Wilhelmsson (Anderlecht), Anders Svensson (Elfsborg), Fredrik Ljungberg (Arsenal)
Forwards: Marcus Allback (FC Copenhagen), Johan Elmander (Brondby), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Juventus), Mattias Jonson (Djurgarden), Henrik Larsson (Barcelona), Markus Rosenberg (Ajax Amsterdam)
