Sweden coach Lars Lagerback has sprung a surprise in his 23-man squad for the World Cup finals by excluding experienced defender Alexander Ostlund.

Ostlund has been overlooked in favour of IFK Gothenburg's Karl Svensson and Fredrik Stenman of Bayer Leverkusen, who has yet to make his international debut.

Lagerback told reporters: "It is quite easy to pick out 15 to 16 players, but we had most discussion about the goalkeepers and the backs.

"Alexander Ostlund has changed clubs and has had an up and down spring in Southampton.

"We have followed him, but think that we now have better alternatives in Niclas Alexandersson and Mikael Nilsson."

Squad

Goalkeepers: Andreas Isaksson (Rennes), John Alvbage (Viborg), Rami Shaaban (Fredrikstad).

Defenders: Erik Edman (Rennes), Petter Hansson (Heerenveen), Teddy Lucic (BK Hacken), Olof Mellberg (Aston Villa), Karl Svensson (IFK Gothenburg), Mikael Nilsson (Panathinaikos), Fredrik Stenman (Bayer Leverkusen).

Midfielders: Daniel Andersson (Malmo), Niclas Alexandersson (IFK Gothenburg), Kim Kallstrom (Rennes), Tobias Linderoth (FC Copenhagen), Christian Wilhelmsson (Anderlecht), Anders Svensson (Elfsborg), Fredrik Ljungberg (Arsenal).

Forwards: Marcus Allback (FC Copenhagen), Johan Elmander (Brondby), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Juventus), Mattias Jonson (Djurgarden), Henrik Larsson (Barcelona), Markus Rosenberg (Ajax).