Drawn in the tough Group D alongside co-hosts Ukraine, England and France, Sweden will have their work cut out to advance to the knockout rounds of UEFA Euro 2012.
However, the unfashionable Scandinavians have a habit of punching above their weight in international tournaments and will look to once again ruffle a few feathers in the European summer.
Managed by the low-profile Erik Hamren (who has been in charge of the national team since late 2009 after forging a successful career for himself with clubs in Sweden, Norway and Denmark), the Blue-Yellow qualified as the best runners-up from the preliminary groups and avoided the dreaded playoffs.
They were second in Group E behind the Netherlands and even beat the 2010 FIFA World Cup finalists 3-2 in their last qualifying match to secure a place in Poland-Ukraine.
This will be the Swedes’ fifth appearance at the European Championship finals, with their best showing a semifinal place on debut in 1992.
The Scandinavians are also regular competitors in the World Cup (11 times, though they did make it to SA 2010) and they were even runners-up as hosts back in 1958.
Sweden failed to get out of a difficult group in Euro 2008 (eventual champions Spain and Russia finished above them), but will be confident that they can upset the big names in their 2012 pool and go one step further this time around.
epa06871088 Victor Lindelof (L) of Sweden and Raheem Sterling of England in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 quarter final soccer match between Sweden and England in Samara, Russia, 07 July 2018.
epa06871113 Emil Forsberg of Sweden (back-L) and John Stones of England in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 quarter final soccer match between Sweden and England in Samara, Russia, 07 July 2018.
epa06871123 Marcus Berg (C) of Sweden in action against England players Jesse Lingard (L) and Kyle Walker (R) during the FIFA World Cup 2018 quarter final soccer match between Sweden and England in Samara, Russia, 07 July 2018.
epa06871077 Raheem Sterling of England (R) and Sebastian Larsson of Sweden in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 quarter final soccer match between Sweden and England in Samara, Russia, 07 July 2018.
epa06871080 Harry Kane (L) of England and Sebastian Larsson of Sweden in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 quarter final soccer match between Sweden and England in Samara, Russia, 07 July 2018.
epa06871075 Dele Alli (L) of England and Emil Forsberg of Sweden in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 quarter final soccer match between Sweden and England in Samara, Russia, 07 July 2018.
epa06861465 Emil Forsberg of Sweden (C) celebrates with teammates scoring the winning goal during the FIFA World Cup 2018 round of 16 soccer match between Sweden and Switzerland in St.Petersburg, Russia, 03 July 2018.
Marcus Berg (C) of Sweden in action against Swiss players Manuel Akanji (L) and Johan Djourou (R) during the FIFA World Cup 2018 round of 16 soccer match between Sweden and Switzerland in St.Petersburg, Russia, 03 July 2018.
epa06861071 Xherdan Shaqiri of Switzerland (R) and Ludwig Augustinsson of Sweden in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 round of 16 soccer match between Sweden and Switzerland in St.Petersburg, Russia, 03 July 2018.
epa06861075 Marcus Berg (L) of Sweden in action against Johan Djourou (R) of Switzerland during the FIFA World Cup 2018 round of 16 soccer match between Sweden and Switzerland in St.Petersburg, Russia, 03 July 2018.
Gustav Svensson (L) of Sweden and Xherdan Shaqiri of Switzerland in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 round of 16 soccer match between Sweden and Switzerland in St.Petersburg, Russia, 03 July 2018.
epa06861069 Marcus Berg of Sweden (L) and Johan Djourou of Switzerland in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 round of 16 soccer match between Sweden and Switzerland in St.Petersburg, Russia, 03 July 2018.
epa06861052 Mikael Lustig (L) of Sweden fouls Josip Drmic of Switzerland during the FIFA World Cup 2018 round of 16 soccer match between Sweden and Switzerland in St.Petersburg, Russia, 03 July 2018.
epa06861062 Marcus Berg of Sweden (L) and Valon Behrami of Switzerland in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 round of 16 soccer match between Sweden and Switzerland in St.Petersburg, Russia, 03 July 2018.
epa06861048 Ludwig Augustinsson of Sweden (R) and Granit Xhaka of Switzerland in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 round of 16 soccer match between Sweden and Switzerland in St.Petersburg, Russia, 03 July 2018.
epa06861049 Marcus Berg of Sweden (R) and Valon Behrami of Switzerland in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 round of 16 soccer match between Sweden and Switzerland in St.Petersburg, Russia, 03 July 2018.
epa06844215 Carlos Vela (L) of Mexico in action against Viktor Claesson (R) of Sweden during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Mexico and Sweden in Ekaterinburg, Russia, 27 June 2018.
epa06844223 Mikael Lustig (L) of Sweden and Hirving Lozano of Mexico in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Mexico and Sweden in Ekaterinburg, Russia, 27 June 2018.
epa06844235 Jesus Gallardo of Mexico in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Mexico and Sweden in Ekaterinburg, Russia, 27 June 2018.
epa06844241 Hirving Lozano (L) of Mexico and Sebastian Larsson of Sweden in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Mexico and Sweden in Ekaterinburg, Russia, 27 June 2018.
epa06844254 Swedish midfielder Sebastian Larsson (L) and Mexican forward Hirving Lozano in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 Group F soccer match between Mexico and Sweden, in Ekaterinburg, Russia, 27 June 2018.
epa06844211 Mexican defender Hector Moreno (L) and Swedish forward Marcus Berg shake hands during the FIFA World Cup 2018 Group F soccer match between Mexico and Sweden, in Ekaterinburg, Russia, 27 June 2018.
epa06844213 Mexican forward Javier Hernandez (R) and Swedish midfielder Sebastian Larsson in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 Group F soccer match between Mexico and Sweden, in Ekaterinburg, Russia, 27 June 2018.
epa06844205 Ludwig Augustinsson (L) of Sweden in action against Miguel Layun (R) of Mexico during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Mexico and Sweden in Ekaterinburg, Russia, 27 June 2018.
epa06844209 Mexican forward Hirving Lozano (C) and Swedish midfielder Victor Claesson (L) in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 Group F soccer match between Mexico and Sweden, in Ekaterinburg, Russia, 27 June 2018.
epa06844195 Andreas Granqvist (L) of Sweden in action against Javier Hernandez (R) of Mexico during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Mexico and Sweden in Ekaterinburg, Russia, 27 June 2018.
epa06834617 Ludwig Augustinsson (L) of Sweden and Ilkay Guendogan of Germany in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Germany and Sweden in Sochi, Russia, 23 June 2018.
epa06834704 Mario Gomez of Germany (L) and Andreas Granqvist of Sweden in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Germany and Sweden in Sochi, Russia, 23 June 2018.
epa06834715 Toni Kroos (R) of Germany takes a shot during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Germany and Sweden in Sochi, Russia, 23 June 2018.
epa06834602 Mikael Lustig (L) of Sweden and Thomas Mueller of Germany in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Germany and Sweden in Sochi, Russia, 23 June 2018.
epa06834467 Jonas Hector of Germany (R) and Mikael Lustig of Sweden (L) in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Germany and Sweden in Sochi, Russia, 23 June 2018.
epa06834500 Joshua Kimmich (L) of Germany and Emil Forsberg of Sweden in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Germany and Sweden in Sochi, Russia, 23 June 2018.
epa06834513 Ludwig Augustinsson (L) of Swedenin action against Timo Werner (R) of Germany during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Germany and Sweden in Sochi, Russia, 23 June 2018.
epa06834520 Mikael Lustig (back) of Sweden in action against Marco Reus (front) of Germany during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Germany and Sweden in Sochi, Russia, 23 June 2018.
epa06834484 Emil Forsberg (C) of Sweden in action against Thomas Mueller (R) of Germany during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Germany and Sweden in Sochi, Russia, 23 June 2018.
epa06834477 Marco Reus of Germany (L) and Viktor Claesson of Sweden (R) in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Germany and Sweden in Sochi, Russia, 23 June 2018.
epa06818655 Hwang Hee-chan (L) of South Korea and Viktor Claesson of Sweden in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Sweden and South Korea in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 18 June 2018.
epa06818683 Andreas Granqvist (R) of Sweden celebrates after converting a penalty during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Sweden and South Korea in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 18 June 2018.
epa06818693 Albin Ekdal of Sweden (R) and Son Heung-min of South Korea in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Sweden and South Korea in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 18 June 2018.
epa06818401 Lee Yong of South Korea (R) and Emil Forsberg of Sweden in action the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Sweden and South Korea in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 18 June 2018.
epa06818492 Marcus Berg (L) of Sweden in action against South Korea's goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo (R) during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Sweden and South Korea in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 18 June 2018.
epa06818501 Hwang Hee-chan (L) of South Korea and Viktor Claesson of Sweden in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Sweden and South Korea in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 18 June 2018.
Sebastian Larsson of Sweden (R) and Ki Sung-yueng of South Korea in action the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Sweden and South Korea in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 18 June 2018.
epa06818362 Sebastian Larsson of Sweden (R) and Koo Ja-cheol of South Korea in action the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Sweden and South Korea in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 18 June 2018.
epa06818364 Ki Sung-yueng of South Korea (R) and Viktor Claesson of Sweden in action the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Sweden and South Korea in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 18 June 2018.
epa06818376 Lee Jae-sung of South Korea (L) and Albin Ekdal of Sweden in action the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F preliminary round soccer match between Sweden and South Korea in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 18 June 2018.
Sweden