Ljungberg was tested for cancer and other diseases but has now been given the all-clear and is set to play in tomorrow's FA Cup final against Manchester United.

Ljungberg told The Sun: "I was frightened. I was tested but nobody seemed to know what was wrong with me."

He added in The Mirror: "I was getting a shooting pain in my hip and we didn't know what it was.

"First of all we thought it was an old injury. But they didn't find anything wrong, even though when I had an ultrasound test it was all really swollen. Then they realised the glands in the hip had caused it by swelling up but still didn't know why I had the infection.

"So I had a lot of different tests because they had to find the reason why I was in so much pain. I had to have tests for cancer and other diseases - as you can guess it wasn't much fun."

Ljungberg turned out to have a nerve problem which was corrected after surgery and the player made his comeback against Birmingham last Sunday.

He added: "We now know that because the glands were swollen, the nerves were stuck when I moved. I had the surgery two weeks ago and felt better straight away."