Sweden: Freddie Ljungberg

Freddie Ljungberg stands out from the crowd with his shock of dyed-red hair and if he lines up for Sweden against England at Saitama in June, it will certainly signal danger for Sven-Goran Eriksson’s men.

Life at Highbury, though, was not always easy for the Arsenal winger and as he struggled to come to terms with English football when Arsene Wenger took him to north London in 1998.

‘‘At the beginning, when you are a foreigner, it is often hard to cope with the English game,’’ admitted Ljungberg. ‘‘You find yourself saying: ‘What the hell is this? It is not like football.’

‘‘You need to get used to the mentality.

‘‘In Sweden, when I had the ball and someone started to kick the back of my legs, you ask: ‘What are you doing?’ but over here I just accept it now.

‘‘That is how football is in England, but a lot of foreign guys find it hard at first.’’

Ljungberg has since settled well in the English Premier League, proving to be just as much of an individual on the pitch as he is off it.

The 25-year-old destroys the stereotypical image of the Swedes. They are, in English eyes, supposed to be tall, fair-haired, a touch conservative in their dress, disciplined in their football and serious in most other things - just look at England coach Eriksson.

But Ljungberg’s 5ft 9in, 10st 10lb frame is squat and he has an off-the-cuff approach to his football. He puts it down to his upbringing in his native Halmstads.

‘‘I had a coach when I was younger who encouraged me to be myself, that is where I was lucky,’’ said Ljungberg. ‘‘I liked to dribble with the ball and some of the other players were complaining that I did not pass enough.

‘‘But he told me just to be myself. I did and I ended up with the most goals. He never stopped me doing what I wanted to do and that helped me to be myself.

‘‘The problem in Sweden is that, when the players are younger, they are not allowed to develop their own style and skills. I was encouraged to do that.’’

It was shortly after Ljungberg tormented England in a Euro 2000 qualifier that Wenger paid Halmstads €7.9million and Arsenal acquired a midfielder with the dynamism, durability and engine which would serve him well in the high-tempo world of the English Premiership plus a haircut and dress sense which makes him a ready target for his team-mates.

‘‘I have always dressed to please myself, not other people,’’ said Ljungberg. ‘‘I don’t care what they think. As long as I am professional on the football field, I feel that I am who I am.

‘‘If people don’t like my clothes, well that is up to them. But I won’t change my personality. I get stick, of course I do. But when the players are on their own they ask me where I bought my shirt!

‘‘Some people like to be like everyone else, but I am not like that. The people in Sweden like the way I am playing because it is not very common over there. Again, I have to thank that coach I had when I was younger.’’

Ljungberg’s Highbury stock rose when he was sent off two seasons ago against Tottenham. He was accused of head-butting a Spurs player, but was later cleared by video evidence.

He cannot, however, plead his innocence to making a V-sign as he left the White Hart Lane pitch or opening the dressing room door without the aid of a key.

To Arsenal fans, the red card was like a red badge of courage awarded during the heat of battle with the old enemy, but for Ljungberg it was all part of the learning curve.

‘‘I learned from that incident,’’ he said. ‘‘I learned never to react. If there had been no reaction, I would not have been in trouble.

‘‘But I must say I like the relationship I have with the fans. I think they like the way I play, the way I give everything when I am out there. I am proud of the way they like me.’’

Ljungberg of course hopes to face England in the World Cup this summer.

He said: ‘‘I have played against England twice in competitive games, but I haven’t managed to score yet. I almost scored at Wembley, but David Seaman touched my shot on to the bar.

‘‘In the Swedish team, we have something to prove. We qualified for Euro 2000, but didn’t play well at all. We want to make up for that in the World Cup.’’