We’ve seen them excel on the football field and we’ve seen them celebrate the wins in clips on Instagram.
On Sweden’s road to the semi-finals, goalkeeper Zećira Mušović has been properly praised for her saves.
– In this team, anyone can excel, both in dancing on the tables and who turns on the music and who excels in other places, she says.
During Friday, Sweden secured a place in the semi-finals by winning against a stumbling Japan. And before that, they played a round of 16 against the USA where Zećira Mušović was highly praised for her performance. The USA were reigning world champions and a challenge for Sweden, but Mušović saved every single ball.
– I felt that I was badly beaten. Almost that you stand and smile to yourself when you make the rescues and just: “how did I succeed with that rescue?”. It felt like a very good match, I was in a flow and all saves went home, she says.
Ahead of Tuesday’s semi-final against Spain, Mušović hopes for the same flow again.
– We had a good performance here against Japan and a very good opposition in Japan. But now there is a new resistance, new preparations and hopefully a new flow.
Good at celebrating
On Sweden’s women’s national team’s Instagram account, there are several clips of how the team dances and sings to, among other things, E-type’s hit “True Believer”.
Who is in charge of the celebration? Can anyone turn on the music?
– In this team, anyone can excel, both in dancing on the tables and who turns on the music and who excels in other places. It is probably significant for this team that we have many who can excel.
What is the aim now then?
– The sights are set on Spain and winning that match. We are good at being in the moment and taking one step at a time, says Mušović.
Fifa has increased the winnings
During the 2023 World Cup, Fifa has increased the amount that players, clubs and associations will receive and the prize money has tripled since 2019. Each Swedish player is guaranteed at least 1.7 million for how far they have come in the tournament so far.
– A lot has happened on that front, which is great fun to see. Fifa has invested in us ladies as well, which we see in the championship being a fantastic championship. If we talk about money, it goes without saying that it means a lot to us, to me, to players in damallsvenska and to players in other nations who are not as well off as we are in Sweden.