Sweden’s women’s hockey team departed the Milan Olympics medal-free but with their confidence restored, according to head coach Ulf Lundberg, marking a significant turnaround for a program that was once among the sport’s elite.
The Swedish squad fell just short of the podium Thursday, dropping a devastating 2-1 overtime decision to Switzerland in the bronze medal contest. Despite missing out on hardware, the team found plenty to celebrate in what marked their strongest Olympic showing in more than a decade.
“Sometimes the journey is the goal,” Lundberg explained. “I am as proud of the players as I would have been if we had a bronze medal.”
Sweden previously stood among women’s hockey’s top nations, capturing bronze in 2002 and silver in 2006. However, recent Olympic appearances saw the team struggle to advance beyond the quarterfinal round in both 2018 and 2022, including a crushing 11-0 quarterfinal loss to Canada at the Beijing Games.
The Milan Olympics showcased a revitalized Swedish program that dominated Group B play without a single loss before meeting tournament favorites Team USA in the semifinal round.
“Obviously empty now. At the same time I’m very proud of this team and what we accomplished,” team captain Anna Kjellbin shared. “We won this quarter-final that we’ve been losing for so many years now. Played a pretty good semi-final as well.”
The Swedish players staged a boycott of their national team program in 2019, demanding better compensation and improved working conditions. Kjellbin expressed hope that their Milan performance would inspire future players.
“I hope there’s a lot of young girls sitting and watching our game and if they’re not already in the sport I hope they take the chance and start playing hockey,” Kjellbin said.
“I think the future of women’s hockey in Sweden is bright and I can’t wait to experience that.”
