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Nordic games Rich soccer heritage underpins four-way Euro bidPosted: Tuesday December 03, 2002 10:10 AMSTOCKHOLM (Reuters) -- Sweden and Denmark can look back on reasonably successful footballing histories over recent years while their co-bidders for Euro 2008, Norway and Finland, have yet to make their mark. But overall, the Nordic nations have a rich football heritage which underpins their bid to host the competition. Sweden was at its peak in the 1950s when it hosted and reached the final of the 1958 World Cup finals, losing 5-2 in the final to Brazil and a 17-year-old Pele. Before that Sweden made its mark in the 1948 Olympic Games, winning the gold medal in London with a 3-1 victory over Yugolsavia at Wembley. Its team included three of its greatest ever players: Gunnar Gren, Gunnar Nordahl and Nils Liedholm, collectively known as the Gre-no-li, who were all quickly snapped up by AC Milan. Sweden finished third at the 1994 World Cup in the United States, beating Bulgaria in the bronze match. At this year's World Cup in Japan and South Korea, Sweden lost 2-1 to Senegal on a golden goal in the second round. Although a 10-time World Cup final tournament contender, Sweden made its European championship debut only in 1992 as host, bowing out to Germany in the semifinals. At club level, IFK Gothenburg is the Swedish team that stands out. Coached by Sven Goran Eriksson it won the 1982 UEFA Cup, a triumph repeated in 1987. But perhaps the greatest influence that Sweden has had in European soccer, at least, has been from an official. Lennart Johansson has been president of UEFA for the last 12 years and overseen the explosion of the European club game with the advent of the Champions League and the expansion of the European championship to a 16-nation competition. Danish mark Denmark, with three World Cup appearances under their belt, has made more of a mark in European championships, notably with its 1992 win. Arguably the greatest Nordic soccer trimuph ever, it was an underdog success story as the Danes first failed to qualify but were let into the tournament when war-torn Yugoslavia had to exit for political reasons. Led by keeper Peter Schmeichel, at the time with Manchester United, it overcame the Netherlands in the semifinal before beating favorite Germany in the final. Danish football erupted onto the world stage in the early 1980s with talents such as the great Michael Laudrup and striker Preben Elkjaer taking Denmark to the 1984 European championship where it reached the semifinal. Football fever hit Denmark in 1986 when it played its first ever World Cup in Mexico, winning its group but losing to Spain in the second round. In 1998, the Danes reached the World Cup quarterfinal but was defeated 3-2 by Brazil. In Japan and South Korea this year, Denmark survived a group which included France but lost 3-0 to England in the second round. Norway has made three World Cup appearances in 1938, 1994 and 1998. At club level Rosenborg Trondheim has dominated for more than a decade and played eight European Champions League seasons in a row, more than any other European club. Finland, primarily an ice hockey and winter sports nation, is yet to take part in a football World Cup or European championship and its teams have made little mark in European competition. However with the likes of Sami Hyypia and Jari Litmanen Finland is now producing players of the highest international standard, bringing them into line with their Nordic neighbors. Nordic four-nation Euro 2008 bid oozes competenceCOPENHAGEN (Reuters) -- The four Nordic countries bidding jointly to host the Euro 2008 soccer championship emphasize their solid competence as organizers of major international sports events. The disadvantages are that no major sport event has been co-hosted by four countries -- and the very small likelihood that Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland would all actually play in the tournament. Two of the four could take part automatically as hosts -- like Belgium and the Netherlands in Euro 2000, and South Korea and Japan in the 2002 World Cup -- while the others would have to fight their way through the qualifiers -- or play in a mini-tournament of their own with the top two nations qualifying. Still, if they were awarded the championship, teams, spectators and the media could look forward to a well-run tournament in up-to-date though unspectacular stadiums with polite but possibly somewhat lukewarm crowds. Experience from top-level events -- including Olympic Games along with world and European championships in a variety of sports -- in the Nordic countries in the past few decades shows that transport and telecommunications function without a glitch. All four host candidate countries are relatively wealthy stable democracies and although two of them are members of NATO, none is an obvious terror attack target. Nordic police are generally viewed as friendly but nonetheless capable when it comes to controlling gangs of rioting soccer hoodlums. "All Nordic countries have a good reputation as organizers of sport events. There are no risks in that respect. And the security factor can play a not insignificant role in the UEFA's decision," said Goran Wallen, sports editor at the Finnish daily newspaper Hufvudstadsbladet. Danish opening The Nordic bid envisages the opening match of Euro 2008 played in Denmark, which will be home to the tournament headquarters and host seven other matches including one quarterfinal and one semifinal. Copenhagen's Parken stadium, Denmark's national soccer arena, seats 41,781 spectators. It would be venue for the opening match as well as two other first-round group matches, one quarterfinal and one semifinal. The nearby Brondby stadium with capacity for 30,920 people would host three group matches. Sweden, which hosted the 1992 European Championship won by Denmark, would arrange nine matches, including one quarterfinal, one semifinal and the Euro 2008 final. Ullevi stadium in Gothenburg on the south-west coast with 60,650 seats would host the final, one semifinal, one quarterfinal and three group matches. The distance between Gothenburg and Copenhagen is some 300 km (180 miles). Stockholm's Rasunda stadium, venue of the 1958 World Cup final, will be renovated and extended to seat 41,530 by 2008 when it would host three group matches. Stockholm is an hour's flight, or some five hours by train, from Copenhagen and 3-1/2-hours by train from Gothenburg. Oslo, an hour's flight from both Stockholm and Copenhagen, would be the venue of three group matches and one quarterfinal at the 31,240-seat national Ullevaal stadium. Trondheim, 350 km north of Oslo on the west coast, houses the 30,849-seat Lerkendal stadium known to European Champions League and UEFA Cup contenders as Norwegian club Rosenborg's home arena. It would host three group matches. Helsinki, the capital of Finland, is an hour's flight east from Stockholm. The capacity of the Helsinki Olympic Stadium, main venue of the 1952 Summer Games, is 42,500. It would host three group matches and one quarterfinal. The city of Tampere, 160 km (100 miles) to the north, would host three group matches at the 32,000-seat Ratina arena. The Nordic bid enjoys political support and financial guarantees from the four governments and also has the backing of pan-Nordic bank Nordea (NDA.ST) as well as airlines SAS (SAS.ST) and Finnair (FIA1S.HE). A economic impact study commissioned by the Nordic Council of Ministers -- a political and cultural cooperation body -- estimated in April that the region stood to gain at least 240 million euros ($240 million) from hosting Euro 2008. On current form, Denmark, Sweden and possibly Norway may stand a sporting chance while Finland would be a very long shot at best. Spectator interest in Euro 2008 matches played in a country whose own team is not taking part would be subdued. "This is a drawback that could ruin their bid," Wallen said. Factbox: VENUES: The following eight venues are planned:
COST: Budget for Euro 2008 bid is put at 134 million euros. An independent study for the Nordic Council of Ministers puts overall economic benefit to the region as a whole, at 240 million euros. FOOTBALL SET-UP: The Danish and Finnish leagues were both formed in 1913, the national Swedish league in 1924. Norway's two separate leagues in the south and north played since the 1930s and merged into one in 1972. Top clubs in Sweden are IFK Gothenburg, Djurgarden, AIK Stockholm and Malmo FF, in Denmark Brondby, FC Copenhagen, AaB Aalborg and FC Midtjylland, in Norway Rosenborg Trondheim, Viking Stavanger, Brann and Odd Grenland, and in Finland HJK Helsinki, MyPa, AC Allianssi and Tampere United. FOOTBALL HONORS: Sweden -- 1958 World Cup runner-up; 1950 and 1994 World Cup bronze medalist; 1948 Olympic champion; 1992 European championship semifinalist. World Cup appearances in 1934, 1938, 1950, 1958, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1990, 1994, 2002. Denmark -- 1992 European champion; 1984 European championship semifinalist, 1998 World Cup quarterfinalist. 1908, 1912 and 1960 Olympic finalist. World Cup appearances in 1986, 1998, 2002. Norway -- 1938, 1994 and 1998 World Cup appearances. Finland -- 1952 and 1980 Olympics football appearances. CLUBS: Sweden has 3,364 registered clubs and 199,018 players. The top division is almost 100 percent made up of full-time professional players. Denmark has 1,606 registered clubs and 292,973 registered players. The Danish Superleague and the three divisions below have been allowed to use professional players since 1977 but only the Superleague is fully professional. Norway's registered players number an estimated 340,000 with 1,829 registered clubs. The top division (Tippeligaen) is completely professional whereas the second division is mixed. Finland has 103,000 registered players and approximately 1,000 registered clubs. The Finnish first division is close to 100 percent professional whereas the second division is an amateur league. PREVIOUS HISTORY: SWEDEN HAS STAGED:
1912 Summer Olympic games in Stockholm (1956 Olympic equestrian events) FINLAND HAS STAGED:
NORWAY HAS STAGED:
DENMARK HAS STAGED:
POLITICAL SITUATION: All four Nordic countries, known for their extensive social welfare networks financed by some of the world's highest taxes, are stable democracies that have not been at war with each other for centuries and enjoy good relations on all levels. Sweden, Denmark and Norway are constitutional monarchies whose royal families are popular and respected while Finland -- whose language is completely different from the other Scandinavian tongues, which are closely related -- is a republic. Denmark and Norway are members of NATO while Sweden and Finland are non-aligned. Sweden, Dennmark and Finland are members of the European Union while oil-rich Norway has stayed outside. Finland is the Nordic region's only member of the EU's Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and uses euro notes and coins.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. |
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