Rusty but hungry

Swede Andersson seeks World Cup return to form

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) -- Three million soccer fans can't be wrong.

Patrik Andersson was voted the world's best central defender in a recent UEFA Web site poll, but he might come game-rusty to the World Cup finals as he's recovering from knee surgery Feb. 19.

Still, the 30-year-old Swedish captain will be an asset to the side even if he's not in top shape. And he'll be hungry to play again in Japan -- where Sweden faces England, Nigeria and Argentina in the toughest group -- after being sidelined for more than two months.

"It's important that all players are peaking during the World Cup," says Andersson, who tore a left-knee ligament early in the year when playing for his club team, FC Barcelona.

"We can't afford to have guys who are out of character, like I and many other players had during the Euro 2000 opener against Belgium.

"We must create harmony on the team by traveling to Japan with a well-matched side ... with guys who often have played together. We had that in the 1994 World Cup finals, but not during Euro 2000."

One of only four survivors from the team that won the World Cup bronze in the United States eight years ago, Andersson had a dream season last year when he was awarded the Golden Ball as Sweden's Player of the Year for the second time in his career -- and 24 years after his father Roy got it.

Nearly a year ago, Patrik Andersson clinched Bayern Munich's Bundesliga title with a late freekick goal; then helped his former club team win the Champions League final a few days later. Last, he captained Sweden, which had a dream campaign itself by staying unbeaten in seven qualifiers en route to a 10th World Cup berth.

Andersson, with 93 appearances, might celebrate his 100th cap in Japan if Sweden makes the second round in the World Cup and if he plays the last two pre-World Cup exhibitions, against Paraguay on May 17 in Stockholm and against Japan in Tokyo on May 25th.

He says that reaching that milestone in the World Cup would be special.

"No doubt about it," he says. "I'm so proud we made it. In 1997, we failed [to qualify for the '98 finals in France]."

Facing Argentina, the top team in South American qualifying, an English team coached by fellow Swede Sven-Goran Eriksson and Nigeria in group play will be a big challenge.

"It's a fantastic group," Andersson says. "It will be a real test for us. They're unbelievable teams, all three. But you play soccer to get a chance to play games like that."

Andersson, who has indicated he'll retire when his contract expires with Barcelona in two years, won virtually everything a soccer player could dream of in 2001.

His best moment, though, came in his 93rd game for Sweden in Turkey, and he didn't even score.

With two goals in the last three minutes from Henrik Larsson, Europe's top goalscorer in 2001 with Glasgow Celtic, and Andreas Andersson, Sweden won 2-1 to clinch another World Cup berth.

"One of my greatest moments for Sweden," Andersson recalls. "That's soccer. It ain't over til it's over."

 

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