Striker Henrik Larsson has returned to Sweden’s squad for their opening Group 8 World Cup qualifiers against Malta on September 4 and Croatia on September 8.

Larsson, who joined Barcelona in the summer, retired from the international game two years ago, only to make a return to Swedish colours for the Euro 20004 finals.

Lagerback also recalled Stade Rennes midfielder Kim Kallstrom, missed last week’s friendly against Holland because of illness.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Eddie Gustafsson (Molde), Magnus Hedman (Celtic, Scotland), Andreas Isaksson (Stade Rennes, France)

Defenders: Erik Edman (Tottenham Hotspur, England), Mikael Dorsin (Rosenborg Trondheim, Norway), Tommy Jonsson (Halmstad, Sweden), Petter Hansson (Heerenveen, Netherlands), Teddy Lucic (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany), Olof Mellberg (Aston Villa, England), Alexander Ostlund (Hammarby)

Midfielders: Niclas Alexandersson (IFK Gothenburg), Anders Andersson (Belenenses, Portugal), Kim Kallstrom (Stade Rennes, France), Tobias Linderoth (FC Copenhagen, Denmark), Fredrik Ljungberg (Arsenal, England), Mikael Nilsson (Southampton, England), Anders Svensson (Southampton, England), Christian Wilhelmsson (Anderlecht, Belgium)

Forwards: Marcus Allback (Aston Villa, England), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Ajax Amsterdam, Netherlands), Mattias Jonson (Norwich City, England), Henrik Larsson (Barcelona, Spain)