"It goes way, way back when we were under Sweden's rule. We always think they are better than us. We played against them so often for so many years. Every country has one opponent they want to beat and for us, it's Sweden"

This quote by Saku Koivu speaks to the enduring competition in between Finland and Sweden. The 2 nations have a history that goes back to when Finland was under Swedish rule. This has developed a sense of inferiority in the Finnish people, as they have actually always seen Sweden as being much better than them. This has been even more strengthened by the fact that the two nations have bet each other in numerous sports for many years. Every nation has a rival that they want to beat, and for Finland, that competitor is Sweden. This quote speaks to the long-standing rivalry between the 2 nations, and the sense of inferiority that the Finnish people have actually felt for several years.