Report – The reasons why Barcelona youngster was ignored by national team for the World Cup | OneFootball

Barcelona winger Roony Bardghji has been left out of Sweden’s preliminary squad for the upcoming World Cup following internal tensions inside the national team camp.

The young attacker was not included in the country’s extended 50-man preliminary list despite being considered one of the brightest talents in Swedish football.

Now, according to reports from Aftonbladet, as relayed by SPORT, Bardghji’s omission is linked to an incident that took place after Sweden secured qualification against Poland.

What’s the story?

During that match, Sweden coach Graham Potter left the Barcelona player on the bench without giving him any minutes. 

According to the information published in Sweden, Bardghji reacted angrily after the final whistle and showed visible frustration during the celebrations.

Local outlets in Sweden claim that the reaction did not go down well among teammates or members of the coaching staff.

The newspaper Aftonbladet quoted figures within the environment as saying,

“It was very strange that he almost stayed seated, in a bad mood, when we had already qualified for the World Cup. It did him no favours at all.”

Concerns over dressing room harmony

The reports further state that some players inside the Sweden squad were unhappy with Bardghji’s behaviour after qualification.

Roony Bardghji will not play at the World Cup. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

In fact, certain teammates felt the winger behaved as though he considered himself above others in the group despite being only 20 years old.

It is also claimed that Bardghji questioned his lack of playing time and demanded explanations from the coaching staff during the gathering.

While the rest of the squad celebrated qualification together with a team dinner and party, the Barcelona winger chose to remain isolated from the group.

Addressing the issue of squad balance, a federation source explained, 

“It’s also about the fact that there are 26 of us going on a trip, about how we manage the time we spend apart, how we behave and the different profiles we have depending on our age and experience. 

“I adore those two lads. They have very promising careers ahead of them.”

The winger remains highly regarded both in Sweden and at Barcelona, where he is viewed as one of the club’s promising attacking talents for the future.

However, his behaviour during the international break may have ultimately influenced the coaching staff’s decision regarding the World Cup squad.