Sweden

1. Ah Sweden, land of supposedly easy-assembling furniture, how you seem to loom these days, so largely in our national consciousness.

2. We have become enamoured with your Sven-Goran Eriksson, who last year became England's football coach, successfully stewarding us into this year's World Cup.

3. Also rather struck on this civilised man, it seems, is his fellow UK-based Swede, the TV presenter who once downed a pint of beer on air, Ulrika Jonsson

4. The pair had reportedly become "Swedehearts" according to reports, which was apparently news to Sven's Italian partner, 37-year-old lawyer Nancy Dell'Olio. But Sven is not known as the Iceman for no reason and has been keeping tightlipped. Cynics claim, its all PR fizz

5. Back on the football front, though, Sven is the prime custodian of so many of our summer World Cup dreams and England's first match is against - yes you've guessed it: Sweden on June 2. A crucial clash as the fancied Argentina are in the same group, so a win could be priceless.

6. And if all this was not enough, another Swede, Arsenal striker Fredrik Ljungberg scored two goals at the weekend which sent his side back to the summit of the Premiership.

7. Of course, there were Swedes who came to Britain in search of a livelihood much earlier. Lots of good things come from Sweden. Volvo and Saab cars. Ericsson telephones - although not all is rosy there at the moment.

8. Then there are those arty-farty ads for Absolut vodka. And films by Ingmar Bergman. Just think of the incomparable Greta Garbo, the second loveliest woman who ever lived.

9. The most lovely, since you ask, was Ingrid Bergman. Also Swedish. There's always a downside of course: those bloody singers

10. But Queen Kristina, in the 17th century, was one of the most intellectually formidable of European monarchs. And a final interesting thing: the present king, Carl XIV Gustaf, is descended from one of Napoleon's generals Swede stuff indeed