Sweden were back. Missing from the previous edition, they had last graced the World Cup in 1994. Under Lars Lagerbäck, they were ready to write the next chapter.
Sweden's tournament was a mixed affair, with promising moments offset by results that ultimately cut their journey short.
Sweden emerged from the group stage unbeaten, showing resilience in a tough opening round. In the knockout rounds, they were narrowly knocked out by Senegal in the Round of 16. The narrowest of defeats against Senegal ended what had been a promising tournament run.
1won2drawn1lost
5scored5conceded
Scored in every match just 1 win in 4 matches.
Henrik Larsson led Sweden's attack with 3 goals 2 in the group stage and 1 in the round of 16 at the 2002 World Cup.
6yellow
1.5per match
No red cards despite the yellow count.
The tactical mind behind Sweden's 2002 campaign. Leading Sweden at his first World Cup just 1 win in 4 under Lagerbäck.
Lars Lagerbäck's tactics focused on swift counter-attacks, allowing his team to quickly transition from defense to offense. However, this approach ultimately proved insufficient against Senegal's disciplined defense.
