Board games, bracelets and bike rides - how Sweden avoid boredom at Euros
However, when the games or deck of cards come out so too does Eriksson's competitive streak, which means in the time earmarked for relaxation there is another battle to win.
"Who do you think?" Eriksson said laughing when asked who the sorest loser in the team is, before pointing to herself.
"Actually, there's a lot of them -- maybe I'm the most outspoken in that way, but I think many, many in our team are really sore losers," she added.
Asked who the worst losers in the squad were, midfielder Hanna Bennison was not afraid to name more senior teammates.
"I would say Magda, Filippa (Angeldahl) and (Johanna) Rytting Kaneryd," the 22-year-old told Reuters. "I'm competitive but I'm not like a bad loser or a bad winner. I'm pretty relaxed and chilled."
Headquartered in a hotel in the picturesque Swiss town of Cham specifically designed to meet the needs of elite athletes, the Swedes feel they have the facilities and tranquillity they need, but the solitude does pose occasional problems.
"As you can see, around here there is not much to do, but we have a village close by and a lake. Last night, we took some bikes down to the lake and had a swim, so we try to do these things to get out of this place a little bit as well," Eriksson said.
The weather has been so hot in Switzerland lately that players have been staying out of the sun to save energy, which has meant finding other ways to spend their time at the hotel.
"Sometimes we play games, we also make bracelets, like with plastic pearls, yeah? Otherwise, we have just been watching all the other games. Usually we sit together in the players' lounge and watch together," Bennison explained.
"We're following the games and watching the games, and we're training," Eriksson said. "We're focusing on recovery and gym, so I think, for the moment, we're finding things to do. And yeah, we're really enjoying this beautiful country."
With Eriksson nursing an unspecified injury that saw her miss the opening 1-0 win over Denmark, the hotel's gym and recovery facilities are essential as she seeks to regain fitness for the remaining Group C games against Poland and Germany.
"I think from a physical point of view, we have everything we need here to be at our best when the game comes, so it's a great facility in that way," Eriksson said.
Despite the Swedes' innate love of winter sports, none of them have paid a visit to the hotel's ice rink yet.
"I have not been out on the ice, and I shouldn't be -- then I might get another injury! No, I haven't heard of anyone who's been down there yet," Eriksson said.
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The Independent
3 minutes ago
- The Independent
Spain illustrate their genius to set up Euro 2025 final showdown with England
If it was anyone else in the world, you might wonder whether she really meant it. If it was anyone else in the world, though, Spain probably wouldn't have even been in that position to score. As it is, the world champions are in their first ever women's European Championship final, thanks to the genius of Aitana Bonmati. It wasn't just about the ingenuity, but the intelligence. Aitaina later said that Spain had been studying Ann-Katrin Berger's movements and how the goalkeeper stepped away from her near post. The playmaker put it exactly where she needed for a 1-0 win over resolute Germany, exactly when it was needed - minutes from the end of extra-time. So, England face up to a repeat of the 2023 final, from a moment that no other player could possibly hope to repeat. Or maybe even imagine. Even before Aitana drilled the ball inside Berger's near post, there was the mercurial quality of the turn. You could actually say Germany had due warning, even if it's almost impossible to predict what a player as good as this will do. Aitana had nevertheless foreshadowed it with the assist for the crucial goal against Switzerland in the quarter-final. She had let the ball roll through her legs to flick it in for Athenea del Castillo. Here, Aitana turned and went on and helped herself. England are going to have to watch for that, except you never know when it's coming. That's the joy of a player like this. Just look at Berger, and the symbolism of beating the best goalkeeper of the tournament so far. The German had stopped everything up to then, a series of shots on target. For this match-winner, she couldn't even see it coming. Berger even pointed to her right, just before Aitana shot to her left. Maybe the biggest giveaway before Aitana's own words was that she never even looked for a runner. She knew what to do. She also did it when it mattered most. How Spain needed it. Berger's commanding performance had played into a growing Spanish frustration, where a visible angst was undercutting their play. They weren't pressing with the same intensity or anywhere near as high up the pitch. They weren't even passing the ball with the same vigour. Fortified by Berger, the Germans looked so assured in defence. All of Carlota Wamser, Janina Minge and Rebecca Knaak stood up so well, among others. It looked and felt like a slow descent to penalties, which might literally have played into Berger's hands. Only deepening the potential psychological angst of that, there was the fact that Spain had never beaten Germany. Ever. You could sense that being a factor as the game wore on, not to mention Spain's comparatively poor knock-out record. It remains a remarkable thing to say about world champions, but this was only their sixth ever victory outside a group stage. They began to make some strange decisions in those stretched final stages of the 90, and then extra-time. That extended to the substitutions, and particularly the removal of Claudia Pina, or the choice of Salma Paralluelo over Vicky Lopez. Except, in some ways, such debatable flaws only further emphasise Spain's strength. Even if they haven't got the right mix, or the formation doesn't quite work, they just have so many different players that can hurt you. And at the centre of it is always Aitana, able to produce something like that. It's going to be an immense challenge for England, but Sarina Wiegman can perhaps point to some elements of encouragement from the game. Germany gave the best blueprint yet (an admittedly common theme) for how to face Spain. They stopped them like no one else. They almost won it at the end of the 90, too, forcing Cata Coll into a double save that was arguably the equal of anything Berger offered. It looked like Klara Buhl's deflected shot was going to drop into the net like a falling leaf, only for the goalkeeper to claw it away before showing incredible reflexes and strength to immediately get up and block Carlotta Wamser's effort. That was a moment every bit as important as Aitana's goal, even if it will naturally be overtaken in the collective memories of this semi-final. There was a lot to take in, which is another element. Spain had to go the distance, and to the very end of extra-time, and that with one day less to prepare than England. Except, in all of that, and a performance that was understandably their least convincing of the tournament so far, they still created a series of chances. They still showed a resolve to match England's. They still showed their genius, as well as the special quality of their star player. No matter anyone's opinion on whether the goal was meant, there's no disputing its meaning. The world champions are in their first ever European Championship final, for a grand showdown with England. A moment like that only makes it even more of a match to savour.
Reuters
3 minutes ago
- Reuters
Bonmati says her brilliant winner went exactly as planned
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The Independent
33 minutes ago
- The Independent
Aitana Bonmati reveals Spain ‘studied' goalkeeper before stunning Euro 2025 goal
Aitana Bonmati revealed Spain had spotted Germany goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger 's tendency to step away from her near post after scoring from the tightest of angles to send the world champions into the Euro 2025 final. The two-time Ballon d'Or winner broke the deadlock in the 113th minute of the semi-final when she squeezed a shot from close to the byline past the Germany goalkeeper, as Spain set up a World Cup final rematch with European champions England on Sunday. Barcelona midfielder Bonmati confirmed after the match that she intended to shoot after Spain had studied Berger's positioning and found she often left the near post uncovered in anticipation of a cross or a pull-back. Berger had signalled to her defenders with her right arm, pointing towards the space in the penalty box, just as Bonmati unleashed a fierce strike of power and accuracy to find the narrow gap Berger had left behind. Breakthrough for Spain as Aitana Bonmati puts them ahead in extra-time! 👊 #BBCFootball #WEuro2025 — BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 23, 2025 "We had studied Berger and sometimes the first post was left empty,' Bonmati told Spanish TV station RTVE, as world champions Spain progressed to their first ever European final. Berger had been Germany's hero in their penalty shoot-out win over France in the quarter-finals and had kept Germany in the game during the first half with a string of saves to deny Spain forward Esther Gonzalez. With the semi-final heading towards penalties, Bonmati broke the deadlock and the 1-0 victory meant that Spain defeated Germany for the first time at a major international tournament. "I'm proud because we deserve it,' Bonmati said. 'We had a tremendous championship. It was the first time we beat Germany, and on top of that, we reached the final." Bonmati has reached the Euro 2025 final after she was taken to hospital for treatment for viral meningitis the week before the tournament began. The 27-year-old only joined up with Spain's squad a few days before their opening game against Portugal but did not make her first start of the tournament until the third game against Italy. Bonmati has now produced magic moments to unlock both the quarter-finals and semi-finals for Spain, first setting up Athenea del Castillo's opener in the 2-0 win over Switzerland with a clever assist and then scoring from a tight angle to send Spain into the final.
