This summer, Kalmar will qualify in Europe for the first time in eleven years. It became clear now that reigning Swedish champion team Häcken defeated Mjällby in the cup final, they already have a qualification place for the Champions League and then instead the European qualification place lands with last season's Allsvenskan table four - Kalmar.
"I have waited a long time for this. I've dreamed of this since I was a kid in Brazil and now I finally get to play in Europe. I'm very happy," Romario's 37-year-old Brazilian Romario told SVT Sport.
The first time Kalmar qualified for Europe was in 1978, when in the Cup Winners' Cup. After winning the Swedish Championship in 2009, they were eliminated in the second qualifying round for the Champions League, and the last time they faced teams outside Sweden's borders was in 2012. They then advanced to the third qualifying round of the Europa League, then went out against Young Boys.
Paying tribute to Rydström
The first qualifying round for the Europa Conference League 2023/2024 begins on the thirteenth of July.
"We have a good team and now we get extra motivation," says Romario and praises the club's former coach Henrik Rydström, now Malmö coach, who last year led Kalmar to fourth place.
"He has a big part in this place that we have now. Everyone knows what he has done for the club in the two years he was here as head coach.
This summer, the champion team Häcken will qualify for the Champions League, while Djurgården, Hammarby and Kalmar will qualify for the Europa Conference League.