Roy Hodgson is looking forward to a return to Sweden for Wednesday's England game

Roy Hodgson is expecting a competitive game for England when then meet a strong Sweden side in Stockholm on Wednesday night.

It's the final match of 2012 for the Three Lions and will mark the opening of Sweden's new Friends Arena.

And it will also see Hodgson make a return to the country where he began his coaching career.

Having spent time in Sweden in charge of Halmstads, Orebro and Malmo - with whom he won five league championships, Hodgson says he is looking forward to going back to a country he loves.

"I've had a lot of dealings with Sweden," Hodgson told FATV. "I think this will be the sixth time I'll be playing against them in my international career with Switzerland, Finland and now England.

"I'm looking forward to it. I spent 12 very happy years of my early coaching career in Sweden and I love the country and I love the people.

"I think it's an excellent football country, who have got even better as the years have gone by. I've just looked at their squad for the game and the team that's going to play against us will be a very strong one.

"It will be a friendly, but it won't be like a pre-season, with everyone taking life very easy, game. It will be a friendly with a real competitive streak."

England ended a 43-year run without victory over the Swedes when they won at Wembley Stadium last November, prior to Hodgson's appointment.

They followed that up at Euro 2012 in June with another victory coming from behind to win 3-2 in Kiev.

And Hodgson believes a third meeting inside 12 months will maintian a long-standing and interesting rivalry between the two nations.

"I think the rivalry between Sweden and England has been a fierce one and Sweden have made life very difficult for England over the years," he said.

"Their record against us is very good and they'll certainly be interested on this occasion to get some revenge for the defeat in the Euros.

"And, of course, to open their new stadium with a victory against one of their most interesting rivals."

Watch the FATV interview with Roy Hodgson in the player below.