Sweden can have no complaints about its exit. The Scandinavians were outplayed from the start by host Germany, falling behind 2-0 just 12 minutes into the match and then having Lucic sent off in the 35th after being booked twice within seven minutes.

Lucic is retiring from the national team, but will keep on playing for his club team Hacken in the Swedish first division.

"It felt like a joke when he showed me the red card," said Lucic.

The 33-year-old Lucic played 85 games without scoring for Sweden. He was a reserve in the 1994 World Cup in the United States when Sweden finished third and a regular in the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.

Lucic may not be the only player who's quitting. Fredrik Ljungberg, Henrik Larsson, Anders Svensson and Niclas Alexandersson have not made up their minds yet. Larsson was persuaded to return to the Swedish team for the World Cup.

Svensson was replaced by Kim Kallstrom in midfield after Sweden only managed a 0-0 draw against Trinidad and Tobago in their Group B opener.

Ljungberg finished another grueling season with Arsenal before joining Sweden's pre-World Cup training camp.

"I haven't made up my mind yet, but I'm not so old and I think I can play again for Sweden. We'll see," the 29-year-old midfielder said.

Larsson and Alexandersson will both be 37 years old at the 2008 European Championship.

Larsson, playing his third and probably last World Cup, said earlier that he would keep on playing for Sweden if coach Lars Lagerback wanted him on the team with European qualifying matches coming up later this year.

Larsson was Sweden's top forward throughout the World Cup, working hard in defense as well. But he scored only once, a 90th-minute goal that gave Sweden a 2-2 draw with England in the last group match.

Page:

1

2