Why Swedish players are flooding to Russia today?

Sweden has been historically recognised as one of the world's best men's football teams, and frequently appear in the major international arena, be it FIFA World Cup or UEFA European Championship. Leave alone a Swedish player trained in Sweden would also receive highly by other European counterparts. So no doubt, Swedish players are viewed with gold. For a country with only more than 10 million people, this achievement is beyond expectation. Who else forget 1958 World Cup when Sweden as hosts almost occupied their first World Cup trophy had not for Pelé's brilliance shone against? And who forget Sweden almost knocked out Germany in the 1992 Euro also on Swedish soil?

Sweden's competitiveness has made football more entertaining and contributed to Europe's rich sporting tradition. But today, so many Swedish players are flooding Russia. Why?

Well, it'd be a bitter case. This has something to do with the Euro 2008.

UEFA Euro 2008 was hosted in two countries: Austria and Switzerland. Sweden was drawn in a group composing then-champions Greece, tournament's favourite Spain and dark horse Russia. Russia's qualification shocked many because up until the final matchday of the qualification, Russia was behind England, but England 2-3 home defeat to Croatia condemned the Three Lions to third place, meaning they would not go to Austria and Switzerland. But even in the group stage itself, thing didn't appear too bad for Sweden: the Swedes were ranked favourite to reach at least the last four, might be capable to compete for European title. Greece was not regarded highly like before, with most of its squad aged; Russia meanwhile appeared less favourable, only Ivan Saenko capped for Nuremburg in Germany, the rest played at home. Only Spain being the biggest challenge, but not a problem, Sweden faced Spain in the qualifiers before, know how to win, the Swedes humiliated Spain 2-0. In addition, Sweden had Zlatan Ibrahimović roaming in Inter Milan, Andreas Isaksson playing for Manchester City and also the club's main custodian, Kim Källström representing French giant Lyon at the time, Markus Rosenberg representing Germany's Werder Bremen, and its experienced captain, veteran Freddie Ljungberg. Given Swedish players' quality, it is even easier to play for Real Madrid or Barcelona.

Going to the group D where Sweden was drawn, the Gold and Blue started its campaign comfortably, beating Greece 2-0, Zlatan Ibrahimović and Petter Hansson netted twice in the final 45 minutes. Sweden then played a very courage match against Spain, but fell 1-2 in the injury time of the second half due to a courtesy by David Villa. This performance against Spain would leave a strong impression that Sweden had already assured a place in the last eight. This was even more to speak of, because Russia didn't demonstrate a similar performance in their two first games, they lost 1-4 to Spain before struggled for a 1-0 win over the Greeks, condemning the defending champions to bottom. Russia's goal difference was worse than Sweden, -2 to +1. Headlines in Europe and even in many countries pointed out the differences in performances of Sweden and Russia only supporting the Swedish side.

Well, nobody could imagine the ironic trajectory - the lesser you get attention, the more you become dangerous.

Russia suited perfectly the line. It had appointed Dutchman Guus Hiddink following the former's resignation as coach of Australia post-2006 World Cup, the Russians didn't have successes in big tournaments since the collapse of USSR, thus they needed a foreigner who understood football functioning. Under the Dutchman, Russia qualified for Euro 2008, achieved by shocking England in Moscow, and holding Croatia twice; something England couldn't do.

Hiddink rejoiced after guiding Russia to Euro 2008 at the expense of England.

Before the final game in Innsbruck, Austria, coach Hiddink hinted how to playout Sweden. The Swedes on the other hand were overconfident in a match they were thought to be the winner. Well, it had history to back for: Sweden and Russia faced up in 1994 FIFA World Cup held in the States, where the Swedes came from behind to beat Russia 3-1 in Michigan, contributing to Russia's failure from progressing the group stage. Therefore, Sweden came into the field with a head-high, a bit siiiigh toward Russia. Well duh, "Russia again, we'll beat you like we did in 1994!"

But thing in the same was soon proved to be detrimental. Not only because Swedish players were totally manuovered by their Eastern European counterparts, they were shocked by the rampant speed Russian players shoved through. Remember, only one Russian player was abroad, the rest stayed in their native clubs. And he was not even at the starting lineup.

Sweden only needed a draw to progress alongside Spain. But they failed. Roman Pavlyuchenko scored the opening goal in 24', before Andrey Arshavin finalised the downfall of mighty Sweden in 50'. Johan Elmander did deliver the ball into Akinfeev's net before Arshavin's goal, but was ruled out, in a case where I finally found to be thought committed by referee's errors. The defeat against Russia was even more agonising, given how Russian fans raised the portrait of Peter I of Russia, the Tsar who defeated Sweden in the war for control of Northern and Central Europe in early 18th century.

After the game, newspapers ran the tip "shock" and "disbelief" to see Sweden off the tournament early. Zlatan was criticised for being "invisible" in an important match, while the victory against Sweden was well-celebrated in Russia. Remember coach Lars Lagerbäck of Sweden said before kickoff? "We are playing very close to our maximum", a suggestion for an easy Swedish victory.

It didn't come.

It was a defeat. The Swedish players returned home when its fans became cold to death. They had not understood how an experienced, physically tough Swedish side, could fall to a young, if not to say inexperienced Russia, in the group stage?

Answer was simple: they understimated Hiddink and Russian tricks. Russia was too flexible and cocky against an aging Sweden.

Following the Euro 2008 defeat, Sweden had difficulties to reassemble its players because even now its Western Europe-based players found emotionally damaged. Before the loss to Russia, only one Swedish player was in Russia, Jonas Wallerstedt (for Torpedo Moscow). Wallerstedt capped thrice, all friendlies, nothing worth mentioning. Peter Gitselov was also another Swedish, but he has Russian ethnicity, when he played in Russia. The loss to Russia led a profounded effect, forcing Sweden to reconsider its position.

But only when Ukraine, another Eastern European country, stunned Sweden in Euro 2012, that rocked Swedish football makers and they started to send more countrymen to Russia in order to study the progress of Russian and Eastern European football in general. Some of the first Swedish footballers to enter Russian football league are Kim Källström, Andreas Granqvist and Pontus Wernbloom. The fact that Russian Premier League being one of Europe's top ten leagues enabled Swedish players to gather more knowledge about Russia, to explore the wider in former Iron Curtain. Only in Russia 2018 World Cup alone, Sweden represented two Russia-based players (Andreas Granqvist and Victor Claesson). Counting the whole 2010s, nearly 20 players from Sweden played professional career in Russia, a record for any Nordic countries.

I was cheering for Sweden back in 2008. To speak on my behalf. I was a kid and when asked which teams to cheer in Euro 2008, Sweden and Turkey topped my opinions just because of their colourful jerseys. Maybe Germany, Italy and Portugal also. And there go Zlatan. So the Swedish defeat to Russia was deeply painful for me - I don't even like Russian national team at all, in a way I perceived Russia inferior to Sweden, like most football experts.

The result was well-paid. Sweden is now having new ingredients, just only perfectioning it. In 2018 World Cup, Sweden performed beyond expectation, before unluckily bowed to England in the last eight. The loss to Russia in 2008 laid a ground for Sweden to reconsider its emotional football view of too orienting with Western European order. Maybe, Sweden will look to empower, and, to think about a potential continental or world's conquest in the future, something they had almost done. Learning from a shock loss was never a waste for Sweden, even when Swedish players can even play in Spain, England and Italy, too.