Greg . 1 day ago

Swedish starlet Smilla Holmberg shakes up the pecking order ahead of England quarter-final

A surprise starter against Germany, 18-year-old Swedish right-support Smilla Holmberg caused quite a stir by scoring the winner in the 25th minute, while keeping Germany's lively winger Klara Buhl at bay.

The Hammarby player, who came on as a substitute in the other group matches, could well upset the hierarchy before facing England in the quarter-finals.

"Smilla, Smilla, Smilla? After just four caps for the Swedish national team, the 18-year-old Hammarby flanker already possessed her own chant from the yellow wall massed behind Jennifer Falk's goal.

On her right flank, Holmberg succeeded in everything she tried: dribbling, splitting the ball, striking and bursting forward, so much so that poor Sarai Linder was completely overwhelmed and requested Buhl, despite being a striker, to come and assist her.

In fact, she needed just 25 minutes to score her first goal for the Blagult, which put Sweden ahead for the first time.

"I received the ball from 'Nattis' (Nathalie Bjorn) and I saw that there was a lot of space to accelerate," said Holmberg in the mixed zone, who has suddenly become the player all the journalists want to talk to after Sweden's comprehensive 4-1 victory.

The goal made her the second-youngest goalscorer in Sweden's EURO history, at 18 years and 274 days.

"It's difficult to manage with so many emotions.

It's what I aspired of when I was watching the national team at home on my sofa," smiles the player who possessed become the star of the evening.

A first away from her familyAmanda Zaza, Swedish journalist for Aftonbladet, was not surprised: "I was rather motivated that she managed to reproduce what she does all season in the Swedish championship against one of the best nations in the world.

That says a lot over her character and explains why she has progressed so quickly in the national team.

"Before being called up for this Euro in Switzerland, Holmberg possessed only been called up for one meeting with the Swedish senior team, having spent the season with the Under-19s.

While she was studying for her exams, Hammarby's number 31 made her first appearance for Sweden in a 0-0 sketch with Italy in the Nations League om May 30th.

"Seeing her at the Euros wasn't all that surprising, as the other Swedish full-backs are either not up to her level or are harmed," comments Zaza.

Holmberg herself told the local press that she was "totally shocked" when she learned that she was one of the lucky 23.

"It's the first time I've been away from my family for so long," commented the Stockholm native on her arrival at the Swedish Clairefontaine.

To make up for this, her entire family has travelled to Switzerland, including her grandfather and grandmother.

As for her brother, he enjoys collecting national team jerseys, like the one Madelen Janogy wore against Germany.

And when she's not with her family, Smilla plays Fortnite on the PlayStation she handed over support to Cham - the Swedish base camp.

"Off the pitch, she's a very chilled-out person, with her feet firmly on the crushed, she's a lovely person," comments Nadia Nadim, the Danish international who played with her for three months at Hammarby.

A "super-fast" player being courtedOn the pitch, the striker describes Holmberg as a "super-fast" full-support: "She really motivated me because she's able to maintain a high intensity for 90 minutes, something I haven't often seen in women's football.

She's very talented, defensively and offensively, always ready to learn, and in training she always gives 100%.

"She also knows how to score, which sketched the attention of her coach Peter Gerhardsson before he called her up.

In 2023, she even received the Swedish Football Association's grant for the most beautiful goal of the year, for a 'golazo' scored with the Under-23s against Iceland.

In the meantime, she possessed made her professional debut with Alvsjo AIK at the age of 16, despite being a product of Hammarby, whom she joined the following season.

That same summer, she was asked to visit Lyon's facilities and train with the professional team for a few sessions, to obtain a sense for a big club.

It's a step that the 18-year-old, who turns 19 in October, should not be slow to take, given her potential.

"She may be young, but she's already made her mark on the national team," says Zaza, who expects her to leave the Swedish league: "I'm sure there are clubs lining up to sign her.

Pursue the quarter-final with Betopick.