Sweden goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl believes the investment and improvement in the English game in recent years means her nation's good record against their Women's European Championship semi-final opponents will mean very little.
The Swedes needed a late Linda Sembrant goal against Belgium in their quarter-final to advance to play tournament hosts England, who edged past Spain 2-1 in the last eight thanks to an extra-time thunderbolt from Georgia Stanway.
The two teams will face off on Tuesday at Bramall Lane, Sheffield for a place in the final.
England have won just three of their 26 meetings with Sweden in all competitions (D8 L15), while they have only lost more often against Germany (21) than they have against the Swedes.
However, when asked if this impressive record gives them an advantage during the team's media day on Sunday, former Chelsea stopper Lindahl said: "No, because we all know the development that's been in the English league, and the investment that's gone into English football in the last seven years.
"I know it first hand because I came to Chelsea in 2015 and I've seen the game take off in England. Obviously that will have an effect on the national team, because the league has grown and people have to grow with it. So you can't really rely on history.
"But what I do take with me is that we know these are players we've beaten. We've managed to beat them before and we can do it again."
The 39-year-old has made eight saves across her team's four games so far, conceding just two goals, and is looking forward to returning to Sheffield, where Sweden played their first two games against the Netherlands and Switzerland.
"I had imagined coming into this tournament that we would face England at some point. I wasn't aware of when we were able to see each other," she said. "I thought it was going to be at Wembley, but now it's in Sheffield, and I think that's a good thing for us because we played a few games there. It's kind of like our home pitch, and so I look forward to it."
Lindahl is well aware of the dangers England pose, with tournament top scorer Beth Mead in the form of her life, scoring five goals in the Euros and having had a hand in 31 goals in all competitions under Sarina Wiegman so far (19 goals, 12 assists) in 18 games.
"I think we've all seen how much success they've had with their wingers, especially Beth Mead," Lindahl added.
"They have quality players in every position and two of them in every position. So I think we're gonna face a collective, well-organised team under the leadership of their new coach. So it's going to be a tough one."
Experience lacking in Sarina Wiegman’s World Cup 2023 squad
England manager Sarina Wiegman has named her squad for this summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Sixteen of the 23-player contingent were part of the team that won Euro 2022, but there are some notable absentees through injury, form or retirement.
Here, the PA news agency compares the two squads.
Experience
Wiegman’s World Cup squad is far less experienced than her Euro 2022 selection, with a total of 733 caps at an average of 32 per player compared with 973 – 42 per player – among their predecessors.
Six players have fewer than 10 caps, compared with only four of last year’s contingent, while another half-dozen have amassed at least 50 caps – versus nine of the Euros squad.
Four of the five most-capped players who featured at Euro 2022 – Jill Scott (157), Ellen White (107), Demi Stokes (67) and Nikita Parris (65) – have retired or been overlooked this time, with Lucy Bronze (104) now leading the way ahead of Alex Greenwood (74).
Captain Leah Williamson, Beth Mead and Fran Kirby are also absent through injury, while – of the seven new faces – only Jordan Nobbs (71) has more than 10 caps to her name.
As a result of the influx of new players, the average age of England’s squad has fallen slightly since the Euros, from 26.9 to 26.4.
Brighton’s 20-year-old winger Katie Robinson is the youngest player to be selected, ahead of Chelsea’s Lauren James (21).
Manchester City midfielder Laura Coombs is the oldest at the age of 32.
Goals
The Lionesses are not at full strength in attack, with those going to the World Cup having scored a combined 114 goals at international level compared with their predecessors’ 202.
Season-ending injuries to Mead and Kirby, as well as White’s retirement, have limited Wiegman’s options in forward areas.
Manchester United duo Ella Toone and Alessia Russo – who starred as substitutes in the last tournament – are likely to feature from the start in Australia and New Zealand, while Aston Villa’s Rachel Daly – who top scored in the Women’s Super League having switched from her previous full-back position – provides another option up front.
However, there remains a shortfall elsewhere in the squad, with seven outfield players having never scored for England compared with just two of the side that won the Euros.
The absence of key attackers has led to a decline in England’s scoring output since Euro 2022. The Lionesses have netted 32 goals in their last 11 matches at an average of 2.91 per game, as opposed to 106 in their first 20 outings under Wiegman at a rate 5.30 per game.
Club representation
There are nine clubs represented in England’s World Cup squad, compared with only six at Euro 2022.
Manchester City have provided six players, down from 10 last time but still the most of any club ahead of WSL champions Chelsea and runners-up Manchester United on four apiece.
Meanwhile, Arsenal – the other team involved in this season’s thrilling title race – have only one representative in Lotte Wubben-Moy.
The rest of the squad is made up of three players from Aston Villa, two from Barcelona and one from Bayern Munich, Brighton and Tottenham.
Bethany England included in England’s World Cup squad but Beth Mead misses out
Bethany England has been included in Sarina Wiegman’s England squad for this summer’s World Cup, while Beth Mead misses out.
Striker England, who has not been involved for her country since last September, is recalled after scoring 12 Women’s Super League goals for Tottenham since joining them from Chelsea in January.
But there is no return for Euro 2022 Golden Boot winner and player of the tournament Mead, having lost her battle against time after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury in November.
Telford hopes to see 'global superstar' Morgan feature for USA at Women's World Cup
Alex Morgan is a "global superstar" and it would be "very silly" if she was left out of the United States Women's World Cup squad, according to former team-mate Carly Telford.
The Stars and Stripes head to Australia and New Zealand in July aiming to land a third successive world title, having triumphed in 2015 and 2019, with 33-year-old Morgan hoping to feature at her fourth finals.
The San Diego Wave forward, who was also part of the side that were beaten by Japan in the 2011 final, will be desperate to be included in Vlatko Andonovski's squad, and add to her impressive tally of 121 goals in 206 caps.
Former England goalkeeper Telford, who was part of the Lionesses' squads that reached consecutive semi-finals in 2015 and 2019, knows Morgan well, having played alongside her in California before announcing her retirement in March.
Telford is adamant Morgan should not miss out on the finals.
"She's huge," Telford told Stats Perform. "Without Alex, I don't think the game would get some of the recognition that it's getting. I think she's a global superstar.
"She performs on and off the pitch. She's not just a footballer; she stands for quality, diversity, everything that is good about being a good person.
"She'll fight for women's rights to make sure that everyone has equal opportunities. She doesn't have to do that; she could just turn up and play football.
"Spending time with her and being in a team with her for 12 months and realising the work that she does on and off the pitch, she's an absolute ambassador to the game.
"She speaks so highly, so well about the game. I just hope she does go to the World Cup because she's a superstar, and it would be sad if she didn't. But I think she's playing well enough, it would be very silly to leave her out."
USA have been drawn alongside the Netherlands, Portugal and Vietnam in Group E, and face a potential last-16 encounter against either Sweden or Italy.
And though there is a slight veteran feel to the USA's likely roster, Telford insists their World Cup pedigree means they will take some stopping once again, and feels their character on the big stage is epitomised by Lyon forward Lindsey Horan.
"They're mentally monsters," she added. "Everyone might be like 'They're not as good as they used to be, they're ageing'.
"But I'll tell you what, when they cross that white line, it doesn't matter who they're playing. They will fight, they will scrap, they will battle, they will try and play good football. But at the end of the day, they're just ultimate winners.
"I think that when you've got someone like Lindsey on the pitch, she is the ultimate at that. She'll break play up, she'll bite, she'll scrap, she'll tackle, she'll drive everyone around her.
"I just think when it comes to the Americans, when they get into competition mode; they're just a different breed."
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