PROFILE
By Svend Bertil Frandsen | Sweden Expert
When football fans around the world tune in to watch Sweden face Ukraine in their first match of Euro 2012, most of them will undoubtedly already be familiar with the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Johan Elmander and Kim Kallstrom. Certainly the Swedish trio have stolen much of the limelight in the Blagule camp, but according to the real experts you may soon be able to add another name to the illustrious group of Swedish stars.
Rasmus Elm is that name, a six-foot tall 24-year-old long-throw expert who under the leadership of Erik Hamren has proven time and time again that he can become Sweden’s most important player in the tournament. But life didn’t always look as promising for the skinny, ginger-haired midfielder who, on the back of his brilliant displays for AZ, has attracted the attention of some of Europe’s biggest football clubs, with Liverpool reportedly currently leading the race to sign the talented youngster.
During his youth he suffered from terrible stage fright as well as dietary problems and struggled to make the most of his enormous potential. “I was extremely nervous as a kid, I was hardly able to stand up on a football pitch,” Elm told Swedish paper Svenska Dagbladet. “I was really anxious before every game and I really did not want to play. I faked illnesses and injuries and I would sit there and hope that it would rain so much that the game would be postponed.”
But while medical tests revealed that he was gluten-intolerant, the support of his parents helped him develop more confidence in himself, and inspired by his two older brothers David (formerly of Fulham and now at Elfsborg) and Viktor (Heerenveen, 10 caps for Sweden), Elm embarked on a career that is now set to reach its preliminary climax at the Euros.
| RASMUS ELM | Sweden & AZ, Midfielder, 24 |
In an interview with the Swedish football magazine Offside this year, he said: “I am more aggressive on the pitch these days and not so kind anymore. I have learned a lot by moving to Netherlands when I was still very young and that has taught me to deal with different situations.”
Under the Sweden coach’s keen stewardship, Elm has truly blossomed in a midfield that has become more creative than ever before. A skilful attacking midfielder known for his speed, hard work and set-piece capability, Elm is seen as the symbol of the revolution instigated by Hamren following the defensive emphasis set by his predecessor Lars Lagerback.
Elm’s strengths in the rejuvenated Sweden side were also evident on Tuesday night when the Scandinavians recorded a rather fortunate 2-1 win against Serbia in Stockholm in the final warm-up game before Euro 2012. His perfectly-timed through-pass for Ola Toivonen five minutes after the restart was the best move of the night and proved exactly how deadly Elm can be against a defence that is caught off-guard.
So while Hamren will be concerned that his back line has looked somewhat fragile in the two friendlies against Iceland and Serbia leading up to the Euro finals, he can take comfort in the knowledge that a certain technically gifted giant in midfield will be Sweden’s secret weapon in Poland and Ukraine.
Liverpool might not be the only one chasing his signature by the end of the championship.
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