Sara Caroline Seger (born 19 March 1985) is a Swedish footballer who plays as a midfielder and club captain for FC Rosengård in the Damallsvenskan league. She is the current captain of the Swedish national football team.
Club career
Linköping
An industrious central midfielder, Seger played for Linköpings FC from 2005 to 2009 and served as the club's captain. Linköping finished in the top four of the Damallsvenskan in four of Seger's five seasons with the team. Their highest finishes were second place in 2008 and first place in 2009. The team also captured the Svenska Cupen on three occasions in 2006, 2008 and 2009.
While playing for Linköping, Seger was honoured as the Damallsvenskan's Rookie of the Year in 2005 and Midfielder of the Year in 2006 and 2009.
After the team finished second and qualified for the UEFA Women's Champions League, Seger signed a new one-year contract with Linköping in the autumn of 2008. She was proud to lead the club to a league and cup "double" in her final campaign with the team. Seger also won the 2009 Diamantbollen, awarded to the year's best Swedish women's soccer player.
Seger's last game for Linköping was a 2–0 defeat by Duisburg in the 2009–10 UEFA Women's Champions League.
United States
In September 2009, the expansion team Philadelphia Independence of Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) announced their intention to draft Seger with their first pick in the 2009 international draft. In December 2009, she signed a three-year contract with Philadelphia. Her first season with the Independence began in April 2010 and culminated in a 4–0 defeat to FC Gold Pride in the WPS Championship game. Seger scored one goal and posted five assists in her 18 appearances. She underwent surgery on a heel injury after the season.
Seger was traded to Western New York Flash in December 2010 in exchange for draft picks. She joined the franchise in their first season in the WPS and wore the captain's armband. On 14 August 2011 the Seger-led Flash secured the best record in the league, a bye in the playoffs, and played at home for the league championship on 27 August. They beat Seger's former club Philadelphia Independence in the Championship game, 5–4 in PKs after a 1–1 draw.
Seger played just 12 matches for the Flash, as the FIFA Women's World Cup took place during the season. She scored five goals and served one assist. Coach Aaran Lines was very happy with Seger's contribution, but her contract contained a release clause which allowed her to leave for a team outside the United States after one year.
Tyresö FF
In August 2011 Seger announced that she would join LdB FC Malmö on a short-term contract to cover the remainder of the 2011 Damallsvenskan season, although she remained undecided about her subsequent destination. Later that same month it was confirmed that Seger would join Tyresö FF on a two-year deal to start in the 2012 Damallsvenskan season. Her three goals in seven league games helped Malmö secure the 2011 Damallsvenskan title.
Seger collected her third Damallsvenskan title in 2012, after Tyresö's dramatic last day win over Malmö. Madelaine Edlund scored the winning goal after Seger's shot had hit the post. Seger and Tyresö were upset in the final of the Svenska Cupen, by Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC who won 2–1 after extra time. In early 2014 it became clear that Tyresö were in financial difficulty and could not afford to keep Seger and their other leading players.
In May 2014 Seger had been approached by Seattle Reign FC, who had obtained her rights for the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), and two other American teams had expressed interest. She was also in transfer negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain Féminines.
Paris Saint-Germain
Seger sealed her move to Paris Saint-Germain in June 2014, signing a two-year contract. She left as Tyresö withdrew from the league and released all their players.
Olympique Lyon
On 2 July 2016, Lyon announced the signing of Seger. In the 2016/17 season Seger helped Lyon win the Division 1 Feminine, the Coupe de France Feminine and the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
FC Rosengård
In 2017 Seger returned to Sweden by joining FC Rosengård in the Damallsvenskan league. She helped Rosengård win the Svenska Cupen Damer and finish second in the league.
International career
Seger made her first appearance for the senior Swedish national team in March 2005; a 2–1 defeat by Germany at that year's Algarve Cup. She intended to score the winning goal at UEFA Women's Euro 2005 in North West England. Although Seger was part of the team, she failed to score as Sweden lost to rivals Norway in extra time of the semi-final.
