On Wednesday, the Swedish squad to compete in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro was announced by Pia Sundhage. 18 players and four reserves were called up by the coach, who is a two-time Champion in the Women's Football Tournament at the Olympic Games - Beijing 2008 and London 2012 - as the United States women's coach.

Sundhage talks about the difficult selection

The experienced coach gave her thoughts on the squad: "There has been a lot of discussion. Now we are ready and very excited about this squad. But, that said, there is a difference when it is 18 instead of 23!" She added, "Routine and result is important but attitude is everything. We have been working in that spirit when we picked the squad."

The team will have a week of camp in Kalmar - July 18 to 22 - and play a friendly against Japan, on the 21st, at the Guldfågeln Arena.

Sweden will open up at the Olympic Games against South Africa. Interestingly, these two teams faced off in the 2012 Olympics in London and the result was an easy 4-1 Swedish victory.

Sundhage will try to take Sweden to unprecedented Olympic medal. (Photo: Getty Images)

Sweden squad in full for the Olympic Games

Goalkeepers: Hedvig Lindahl (Chelsea Ladies), Hilda Carlén (Pitea).

Defenders: Joanna Andersson (Linköping), Emma Berglund (Rosengard), Magdalena Eriksson (Linköping), Nilla Fischer (Wolfsburg), Jessica Samuelsson (Linköping), Linda Sembrant (Montpellier HSC).

Midfielders: Emilia Appelqvist (Djugardens), Caroline Seger (Paris Saint Germain), Lisa Dahlkvist (Örebro), Sofia Jacobsson (Montpellier), Elin Rubensson (Göteborg).

Attackers: Kosovare Asllani (Manchester City), Stina Blackstenius (Linköping), Lotta Schelin (Rosengard), Fridolina Rolfö (Linköping), Olivia Schough (Eskilstuna United).

Reserves: Emelie Lundberg (Eskilstuna United), Hanne Grahns (Örebro), Amanda Ilestedt (Rosengard), Pauline Hammarlund (Linköping).

Of the 18 players who will go the Olympics, the best represented team is Linköping with five of their players involved. Six are out of Sweden completely, with two in England and four in France. The other seven play for Damallsvenskan clubs.

Sweden have kept up their record of qualifying for every women's Olympic football tournament - alongside Brazil and the United States - after winning a mini-tournament in the Netherlands to decide Europe's third and final place in Brazil this August.