THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
STOCKHOLM, Sweden — Fredrik Ljungberg is quitting the Swedish national team, ending his international soccer career after 10 years.
In a story posted on the Helsingborg Dagbladet’s website, the paper quoted a letter from the 31-year old midfielder and Sweden captain saying that he planned to continue his career with West Ham in the English Premier League, but decided that the strain of playing for two teams is too tough on his body.
"The physical strain of playing for the national team and in club football for such a long time has finally taken its toll," Ljungberg wrote.
"I’ve been captain and played on the starting 11 for more than a decade, but now it’s time to give (my) jersey No. 9 to another player. Sweden has so many talented players and I’m sure my position will be filled by someone with the same passion for the sport."
Swedish Football Association chairman Lars-Ake Lagrell said it was a sad message.
"But it wasn’t unexpected considering all his injuries" Lagrell said. "It was quite a natural decision."
Ljungberg, who broke through with Halmstad in Sweden’s top league before moving to Arsenal in 1998 until transferring to West Ham last year, made his debut for Sweden in a 1-0 loss against the United States in a friendly in 1998.
Ljungberg played in the last five major soccer tournaments for Sweden: the European Championships in 2000, 2004 and 2008, and the 2002 and 2006 World Cups.
He was selected Footballer of the Year in Sweden in 2002 and 2006. He won the English Premiership with Arsenal in 2002 and 2004.
He earned 75 caps for Sweden, the last in a 2-0 loss June 18 to Russia that eliminated Sweden from the European Championship.
Regarded as the best midfielder in Sweden over the past decade, Ljungberg scored 14 goals for Sweden.
But he was always more of a provider than a goal-scorer, both during his heyday with Arsenal and throughout his career for Sweden.
Ljungberg played hurt at the 2002 World Cup finals in Japan, and did it again in Germany four years later.
In Japan, he played 90 minutes against England (1-1) and Nigeria (3-1) as the Swedes finished atop a group which also included Argentina.
Sweden lost to Senegal on a golden goal in the second round.
His most memorable goal for Sweden was the 13th, a 1-0 winner in the 89th minute against Paraguay in the 2006 World Cup before a crowd of 50,000 at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium en route to a second-round berth.
Off the field, Ljungberg made millions for a worldwide fashion campaign.
Giant billboards in New York, London, Tokyo, Paris and Milan featured Ljungberg and a lightly-clad model. However, in the Swedish capital’s most trendy downtown area, the giant poster was banned for being sexist by local authorities.
"In America, where of course there is so little interest in soccer, I have become the (Calvin Klein) ad man," Ljungberg said. "People stop me in the street and ask for my autograph, and I expect to start having a conversation about football. But of course, all they want to talk about is the underwear."