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Harjeet Johal ,

July 11, 2016 Twitter

@HarJournalist

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VANCOUVER, B.C. - "Axel Sjoberg is one of the most underrated centre-backs in the league." That's Colorado Rapids Coach Pablo Mastroeni describing his talented sophomore defender Axel Sjoberg following a 2-2 draw against the Vancouver Whitecaps at BC Place on July 9. Sjoberg took it upon himself to race up the pitch and convert a header in stoppage time to earn his team a draw and valuable point. This isn't something new for Sjoberg. He is quickly starting to make a name for himself in Major League Soccer and he's a big reason why Colorado sit second in the Western Conference with a 9-2-7 record and a current 13-match unbeaten streak. Sjoberg is already earning potential MLS Defender of the Year talk, but he's quick to give credit to his teammates for his role in the Rapids defense first approach.



"It's good team play," said Sjoberg as he describes Colorado's success. "We start defense from up top and the guys hustle ahead of me and a lot of my job has been organizing, being in the right shape and getting people in the right positions. In doing so, the more I can do that, in the better position I'll be in, and the less emergency defending I'll have to do. It's kind of a cascade effect of doing the work beforehand and being on top of the game. That's something we've been working on. We've had good goalkeepers behind me to make the saves when needed to." The 2016 AT&T MLS All-Star Fan XI was named on Saturday and no Colorado Rapids players were voted in by the fans. The rest of the roster will be named on Sunday, July 17 and there is a chance Sjoberg and some of his teammates could be headed to San Jose to play Arsenal on Thursday, July 28. What would it mean for Sjoberg to make the MLS All-Star team in just his second professional season with 30 caps to his name? "That would be a huge privilege and an honour," an excited Sjoberg admitted. "It's not something I maybe expect, it would just be something I would relish for a lifetime. For me being in college two years ago, it's not something I ever thought about being in at this point in my career. Since the team has been doing really well, I think we should get a few nominations for the All-Star game. If it's me, I'll be more than happy to accept that privilege." Mastroeni has seen how well Sjoberg has developed since he was drafted by the Colorado Rapids 14th overall in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. Sjoberg started 14 games for Colorado in his rookie year and earned 1259 minutes of action. The Rapids struggled, but it was a good learning period. Sjoberg has already surpassed his personal statistics from last season with 16 starts, and 2 goals to his name. He has also cut down on his yellow cards and has more shots on target. His defense has been fantastic and his overall game is rounding into form, Mastroeni sees a massively bright future for Sjoberg. "I think with every game he gains more and more confidence. I think on the ball, he’s been fantastic for us. Obviously, defending, he really spearheads one of the better defences in the league. A lot of his work goes unnoticed, but I think he’s going to be a real player and hopefully he starts getting some looks with his national team." If Sjoberg makes the MLS All-Star game it won't be from the fans who pay tickets to go see MLS matches every week. Make no mistake, the MLS All-Star game is a who's who of top rated players who have come over from Europe and are now excelling in MLS on high paid contracts. That's no Axel Sjoberg and his coach knows it will take football merits to see Sjoberg on the pitch vs Arsenal.



"It depends on what metric you go by," said Mastroeni. "Is he a fan favourite? Probably not. Does he spearhead one of the best defences in the league? If it’s a popularity contest, he’d never make it, but if you’re talking about football, I think so." The 25 year-old Sollentuna (Stockholm) native took an interesting route to get to where he is today. Most European footballers dream of playing football for a top club in Europe. At six foot and seven inches, Sjoberg was part of the Djurgårdens youth academy team during his teenage years. When he turned eighteen he was facing a big decision with life, school, and football. "I was about to graduate from the youth system in Djurgården," explains Sjoberg. "I didn't get a professional contract with the first team, which is in the Allsvenskan. At that point when you're eighteen in Sweden and most of Europe you either go to school or try professional soccer and you get a contract. I didn't get signed. I wasn't willing to not go to school because I've always valued education highly. That made college a really good option where I could keep playing soccer at a fairly good level and while going to school. It worked out really well. I played well in college and it snowballed from there and I just got into MLS." The big Swede excelled in his four seasons at Marquette University in Wisconsin. His terrific play helped him win a trio of Big East Defensive Player of the Week awards in 2014. Sjoberg was also ranked as one of the ten best defenders in college soccer. His unique size and agility allows him to move up and down the pitch quickly. His commanding presence helps him set the tone at the back and lead by example. "Style of play," pondered Sjoberg. "I'm a very tall defender as most people know, six foot and seven inches. I think I'm good in the air with that, a good organizer, I'm relatively good with my feet for my size. I've always liked to play out of the back, I'm good in the box, and in both boxes, I like to contribute." A few years down the road Axel Sjoberg could very well be the next Olof Mellberg in outstanding defenders for Sweden. It's a generous comparison, but Sjoberg definitely has all the abilities that Mellberg showed as a leader, shut-down defender, and mainstay on the Swedish national team. "That would be something I would like a lot," revealed Sjoberg. "He was a very very good and steady defender for Sweden for a lot of years. I would love nothing more than to get a look with the national team at some point and play for my country." Represented Sweden at practice today. Not a great result, but we always play better as underdogs so I'm not worried #Sweden #euro2016 On another note, remember to vote http://www.mlssoccer.com/all-star/2016/vote #mlsallstar2016 #axelvsper A photo posted by Axel Sjöberg (@sjobergaxel44) on Jun 13, 2016 at 2:28pm PDT

If you happen to have Swedish national team Coach Janne Andersson in your Iphone contacts, perhaps you could tell him about Axel Sjoberg out in Colorado. The new bench boss for Sweden is set to take over for the departed Erik Hamren who had always planned to leave his post following Sweden's journey at Euro 2016. Has Sjoberg heard from the former IFK Norrköping Coach about a call-up to Sweden? "I have not. If that happens I would be happy to take that call. For right now I'm 100 percent focused on the season with Colorado. My focus here is to do as well as I can and if a call ever happens, it will be because I've put in the work." MLS is certainly not recognized as one of the top leagues in the world, and it's not anywhere near that distinction yet. Managers picking European national teams tend to strongly pick European based players. MLS just doesn't create a warm and fuzzy feeling for them. If Axel Sjoberg decided to take his services to Europe and perhaps a club in the Allsvenskan League could that help him one day play for Sweden? "Not necessarily," said Sjoberg, "I don't think so. Obviously they probably get a better look at Allsvenskan, but they get a lot of their players from other leagues in Europe right now. I think they're looking for players at all times that can perform in different circumstances. I don't think Allsvenskan's necessary for me to go to get a look with the national team. (I'll) just keep doing well here and hopefully that'll do it." Sjoberg's positivity and team first focus is clearly a strong indication of his character. You want to build your team around those types of footballers. Someone who lives to play the game and has his teammates following his poise.



Sjoberg's equalizer against Vancouver came with a possible broken right hand after earlier colliding with fellow centre-back Kendall Waston. Tim Howard knows great defenders and has had his career take him all over the world. He also had nothing but high praise when talking about the talented Sjoberg. "He's been really good," said Howard. "Big Axe, he's a talker, he's a communicator, he likes to organize. He comes up with a timely header tonight, which we needed desperately to pull us out of the crap. He's been really good, obviously I've heard a lot about him before I got here, but seeing it on display and being part of a unit with him is very very good." When you're sitting down to watch an MLS game and the Colorado Rapids are playing make sure to look at more than just Tim Howard, Jermaine Jones, and striker Kevin Doyle. The Rapids are a team that plays football the right way with a defense and clean-sheet mentality. Axel Sjoberg is a force on the back-line and will no doubt be a house-hold name before too long. If Sweden is lucky he could be a defensive stalwart for them, especially when Sweden could use a new national team identity to help bring Sverige back to prominence.



