• Caroline Seger has two third-place finishes in World Cup

• Seger has also won two Olympic silver medals

• She made her international debut in 2005

Jayanta Oinam “It doesn’t matter what age you are, 18 or 36, if you’re playing at your best level, you will play for the national team,” Caroline Seger said in 2021 after becoming the most-capped European woman footballer. With 235 caps, at the time of writing, she is among the ten most-capped players in the history of women’s football. The Sweden midfielder achieved the feat with her 215th international appearance in a 0-0 friendly draw with Australia in Kalmar on June 15 of that year. The previous record was jointly held by Birgit Prinz of Germany and Swedish compatriot Therese Sjogran. “I wish I was 20 again and could play my best years now,” she told UEFA, “but I’m happy that I’ve been along for this ride and experienced both ups and downs in women's football.”

Two years later, 38-year-old Caroline Seger is at her fifth FIFA Women’s Cup as Sweden once again entered the tournament as one of the favourites. Seeded third, they are pitted against Argentina, Italy and South Africa in Group G. The last time Sweden played in a World Cup match, they defeated England in July 2019 to finish third with Seger leading the team from the front. It also marked her 200th match for Sweden. Born in Helsingborg, a historic seaport on the west coast of Sweden, Seger hasn’t missed a World Cup since the 2007 edition. A modern-day midfield maestro with an unrivalled passing range and the ability to control the game as she desires, Seger was a rock for the Swedish women’s teams that finished third in the previous two World Cups, and claimed silver medals at the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games. Seger was indeed the shining light of the Blagult, the Blue and Yellow, as the team is known colloquially. This time, however, the captain fought really hard to earn her spot in the team. She had an injury-hit club 2022-23 season. But Caroline Seger managed to prove her fitness just in time to be included in Peter Gerhardsson’s 23-player squad, which has the likes of Barcelona star Fridolina Rolfo, Arsenal pair Stina Blackstenius and Lina Hurtig, Chelsea dou Zecira Musovic and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Bayern Munich’s Magdalena Eriksson, AC Milan’s Kosovare Asllani, etc.

Seger has been struggling with injuries since the 2022 European Championship, where she picked up a heel injury, needing another surgery. Many thought that the Euros in England would be her final major tournament. She returned to action in April 2023, coming on as a second-half substitute in Sweden’s friendly against Norway only to be replaced soon as her injury problems flared up again. But the ‘captain’ is back for her 14th major tournament and ready to help Sweden win their first major title. In a career blighted by injuries, Caroline Seger has played her part in some of Sweden’s biggest matches. Yet, there remain some unfulfilled goals, and it’s her dream to win the biggest of them all before hanging her boots. Seger made her international debut in 2005. “It’s been a tough road for me, and the last couple of months I’ve been injured, so my preparation hasn't been the best,” Seger told the media after the team’s first training ahead of their FIFA Women’s World Cup opener against South Africa in Wellington, New Zealand. “For me to be here with this national team, and to do that, it’s my last chance. I’m not going to play any more World Cups. That’s the end. To hopefully help the team... to bring home the gold, would be a dream come true.”

Caroline Seger started her career at Gantofta IF and then made her senior debut at the newly formed Linkopings FC in 2004. After five years with Linkopings, she spent a couple of seasons in the United States, turning up for Philadelphia Independence and Western New York Flash. It was followed by brief stints with Swedish outfits FC Malmo and Tyreso FF. She later played for Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyon in France. In 2017, she returned to Sweden to play for FC Rosengard. Seger has won the Swedish league (Damallsvenskan) three times with three different teams — Linkopings in 2009, Malmo in 2011 and Tyreso in 2012; one French league (Division 1 Feminine) and one UEFA Women's Champions League with Lyon.