This time, Sweden earned the European first representative berth as the winner of the European Championships by beating Germany in the final 16-7 in 2005.

Sweden displays a powerful football thanks to the massive linemen in both sides of the ball. In the 75-man provisional national team roster, the average size for the offensive linemen is 193.3 cm, 133.9 kg while 188.5 cm, 120.5 kg for the defensive linemen.

Sweden has a few players who have had the playing experience in the professional league. Most recently, Christian Malm and Carl-Johan Blomvall played in the NFL Europa this past season.

Wide receiver Malm just finished his third season in the NFL Europa with the Cologne Centurions (6-4), where he caught a pass for 34 yards by appearing in five games. He also played for the Hamburg Sea Devils in 2005 and 2006 seasons.

Back in his country, the 188-cm, 95-kg Malm helped his team, the Stockholm Mean Machines, win the national championship in 2002 and 2004 , and was named the best wide receiver in the Swedish amateur league in 2004.

Center Blomvall played the last two seasons with the Sea Devils, who reached the 2007 World Bowl with a 7-3 record this year. He played nine games with the Sea Devils this season including three starts.

Blomvall, the second-heaviest player in the Swedish roster with a 144-kg frame, anchors the massive offensive line and adds some stability to its run blocking and pass protection. He also has versatility to play guard.

In his junior season at Temple University, Blomvall started all 12 games at guard in 2003 and moved to center the following year. He won the Top Hog Award (best offensive lineman) in his senior season.

Sweden plays France on July 10 and two-time defending champion Japan on July 12 in Pool 1 action.