Charlotta Eva Schelin (born 27 February 1984), usually referred to as Lotta Schelin, is a Swedish football player who currently plays for Olympique Lyonnais of the Division 1 Féminine. She plays as a striker and is currently a member of the Sweden women's national team having made her debut in 2004.
Schelin's height, strength, and offensive technique has led to former Denmark women's national team manager Peter Bonde comparing her to fellow Swede Zlatan Ibrahimović. She credits her older sister and former teammate, Camilla Schelin, as well as Tina Nordlund, as important role models for her.
Schelin grew up in Kållered outside Gothenburg and began to play football for Kållered's SK along with her sister, Camilla. She has also played for Mölnlycke IF. Schelin was also adept at such sports as table-tennis, track and field, and snowboarding before opting to focus on football full-time. As a teenager, she developed problems with her spine and was advised to stop playing the sport. Schelin went through intensive strength training and recovered by the time she turned 17.
In 2001, when she was 17 years old, Schelin made her debut in the Damallsvenskan for Landvetter FC, now known as Göteborg FC. She played in over 100 league matches with the club establishing herself as one of the club's most prominent players. After an injury in August 2002, she was out of the league for almost a year and a half returning in June 2003. Schelin made her national team debut for Sweden on 16 March 2004. She later played in the Algarve Cup and represented her nation at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. The following year, Schelin endured injuries to the groin and hamstring, which require extensive rest.
In 2006, Schelin was a key player in the 2006 edition of the Algarve Cup leading Sweden to a respectable third-place finish. She scored the only goal in the bronze medal victory over France. For her efforts, Schelin was awarded the Diamond Ball as the country's best female football player. That same year, she was named the Forward of the Year in the Damallsvenskan. Schelin's success made her a huge face in her country and she was rewarded when she was selected to attend the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup draw in China on behalf of Sweden.
Despite offers from other Damallsvenskan clubs, Schelin opted to stay in her hometown. After the re-branding and re-launch of the new United States-based league, Women's Professional Soccer, Schelin declared that she would be interested in playing in the league. However, after the 2008 Summer Olympics, Schelin announced that she would be joining Division 1 Féminine club Olympique Lyonnais in France.
Upon signing her contract, it was speculated that Schelin would be earning over 1 million kr ($160,000 USD) per year. On 24 September 2008, Schelin was drafted by the Saint Louis Athletica in the 2008 WPS International Draft. She later declined the chance to join the club citing her contract with Lyon as the primary reason.
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