Sweden head coach Lars Lagerback has named his 23-man squad for the World Cup Finals in Germany.

Lagerback has called-in IFK Gothenburg's Karl Svensson along with fellow Bündesliga player Fredrik Stenman, who has had an excellent first season with German club-side Bayer Leverkusen and will be making his debut for Sweden.

Mikael Nilsson, who has hardly played for Greek side Panathinaikos this season after sustaining an injury, was also named as one of the defenders.

Nilsson has played in midfield and defence for Sweden and shared the right back role with Ostlund during the Euro 2004 qualifiers, he will be joined by the hugely experienced Aston Villa defender Olof Mellberg, who is one of the veterans of the team.

Another surprise was Fredriksborg's Rami Shaaban being named as one of the three goalkeepers, with Eddie Gustafsson of Ham-Kam left out. First choice keeper Andreas Isaksson has retained his place.

Former Arsenal keeper Shaaban played three games for the Gunners in 2002 before breaking his leg in training later that year after which he never played for the north London side again.

“It’s quite easy to pick out 15 to 16 players but we had most discussion about the goalkeepers and the backs,” Lagerback told a news conference.

Defence was seen as Lagerback's main tactical problem, although he said that he was satisfied with the choices he had made.

“Alexander (Ostlund) has changed clubs and has had an up and down spring in Southampton,” Lagerback was quoted as saying by the daily Expressen newspaper.

“We have followed him but think that we now have better alternatives in Niclas (Alexandersson) and Mikael (Nilsson).”

There were few surprises among the other defenders in the squad, who include Erik Edman of Stade Rennes, Petter Hansson of Heerenveen along with Villa’s Mellberg.

The strikers called-up went as expected with Juventus' Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Barcelona's Henrik Larsson being joined by Marcus Allback of FC Copenhagen, Brondby’s Johan Elmander, Mattias Jonson of Djurgarden and Markus Rosenberg of Ajax Amsterdam.

Arsenal’s Freddie Ljungberg, Tobias Linderoth from FC Copenhagen, Anders Svensson from Elfsborg and Kim Kallstrom of Stade Rennes all have huge experience and have been named in Lagerback's midfield selection.

Sweden have been drawn in Group B, alongside England, Paraguay and Trinidad & Tobago at the Finals in Germany which kick-off on June 9.

Sweden 23-man squad for World Cup Finals:

Goalkeepers: Andreas Isaksson (Stade Rennes), John Alvbage (Viborg), Rami Shaaban (Fredrikstad)

Defenders: Erik Edman (Stade Rennes), Petter Hansson (Heerenveen), Teddy Lucic (BK Hacken), Olof Mellberg (Aston Villa), Karl Svensson (IFK Gothenburg), Mikael Nilsson (Panathinaikos), Fredrik Stenman (Bayer Leverkusen)

Midfielders: Daniel Andersson (Malmo), Niclas Alexandersson (IFK Gothenburg), Kim Kallstrom (Stade Rennes), Tobias Linderoth (FC Copenhagen), Christian Wilhelmsson (Anderlecht), Anders Svensson (Elfsborg), Fredrik Ljungberg (Arsenal)

Strikers: Marcus Allback (FC Copenhagen), Johan Elmander (Brondby), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Juventus), Mattias Jonson (Djurgarden), Henrik Larsson (Barcelona), Markus Rosenberg (Ajax Amsterdam)

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