€550m squad value, but this country needs a World Cup miracle | OneFootball

Sweden really should have already had one foot in the door for World Cup 2026 qualification. Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyökeres, Dejan Kulusevski, Anthony Elanga, plus highly talented Bundesliga youngsters like Hugo Larsson and Daniel Svensson – this lineup sounds like pure world class!

And yet, the “Tre Kronor” are at the very bottom of their qualifying group, without a single win and with only a measly point. Instead of World Cup anticipation, there’s a yellow-blue alert level.

How the hell could a team with a market value beyond 550 million euros be such a disappointment? The answer is complex, but above all: pretty un-Swedish.

Because instead of the balance and composure typical for Scandinavians, Swedish football has recently shown a lot of naivety and a clear alienation from its own style of play.

Sweden’s Best Team Ever? Not Even Close!

The numbers speak for themselves: In four qualifying matches so far, they’ve managed just two measly goals. And that’s with an attack whose players light up their club teams week after week. But in the national team? More like cold coffee at the Ikea restaurant.

Under former coach Jon Dahl Tomasson, the first foreign manager in Swedish history, they suffered three defeats in a row. Twice they lost to Kosovo, once to Switzerland. Neither Isak nor Gyökeres scored. The superstar duo, who together transferred for over 200 million euros this summer, suddenly looked as toothless as young Michel from Lönneberga.

Swedish reporter Daniel Kristoffersson summed it up succinctly in a conversation with 'BBC Sport': “This is one of the best Swedish teams, but the results are among the worst.”

📸 BJORN LARSSON ROSVALL

Failed Attempt at Modernization

Tomasson actually wanted to modernize Sweden. No more of the classic, robust 4-4-2 from the Mellberg years, but instead more attacking power, more courage, more dominance. What sounds outstanding in theory failed in practical execution.

The gaps in midfield were huge, the defense as open as a family man after a six-hour Ikea shopping trip. Opponents they should have dominated created chance after chance.

Former national player Pontus Kåmark describes it like this: “Everyone played for themselves, the spaces in midfield were far too big, the defense was exposed. It was more than just a player problem.”

And Jonas Olsson, also a former national player, echoed the sentiment in a conversation with 'Sky Sports': “They wanted to play more offensively, but they were too open and too naive. The plan was right, but the timing was completely wrong.”

The result was a tactically overambitious approach that ended up helping no one. The attacking stars were left hanging, the defense was on fire.

A Dream Duo Only on Paper

The fact that Gyökeres (currently out due to injury) and Isak hardly work together has long been a topic in Sweden. The problem: Under Tomasson, Sweden played in a 3-4-2-1 system with Isak as a withdrawn striker, often far from the opponent’s goal. Gyökeres hardly got the ball, while the Liverpool signing wasted his goal-scoring instincts in a vacuum.

“The chemistry between them just wasn’t there. And they were far too rarely on the ball,” complains Olsson.

📸 Michael Campanella - 2025 Getty Images

Afraid, Potter?

On October 20, the cut was made: Tomasson out, Graham Potter in. The Englishman has an almost mythical reputation in Sweden, having led Östersunds FK from the fourth division up to the Allsvenskan. He also sensationally won the national cup.

Kåmark is positively enthusiastic about Potter’s appointment. “Potter is practically half Swedish. He understands our culture, he’s humble, clear, structured, and an excellent collective coach,” says the 56-year-old.

The advantage is clear: While Tomasson wanted to overload Sweden, Potter is likely to approach his new task with the necessary pragmatism.

Some fans even see him as a kind of savior figure. Olsson puts it this way: “He’s one of their own. An easily approachable coach who can bring balance. But he has to deliver immediately.”

The Situation: A Miracle Is Needed

But that’s exactly where the problem lies. Direct World Cup qualification is already off the table, so only the arduous playoff route remains. And even that requires a small football miracle.

Sweden would have to beat both Switzerland and Slovenia in the coming days, while Kosovo must not pick up a single point. That almost sounds like a task from Astrid Lindgren’s magical worlds.

There is still hope, though: Thanks to a good finish in the last Nations League round, the team has a second lifeline: Through this ranking, Sweden could slip into the playoffs as one of the four best teams not already qualified elsewhere. From there, it would be “only” three games to the World Cup.

Pontus Kåmark aptly calls this backdoor “our lucky ticket,” and that’s exactly how it feels. Should Graham Potter win all three of these potentially upcoming matches, then, as Kåmark dryly says, “he’ll be a god.”

📸 PONTUS LUNDAHL

Now Only a Little Magic Can Help

Sweden has the players. It has the individual quality. It probably even has the coach who can bring it all together. What’s been missing so far is structure, balance, and a plan that fits this squad.

Now the national team stands at a crossroads: If they fail again, the supposedly golden generation of Isak, Gyökeres, and Kulusevski risks missing out on their prime World Cup. Already, in three of the last four tournaments, the Scandinavians had to watch from their home Jättebo sofas.

To avoid such a scenario repeating next year, a little football miracle is needed. Who knows: maybe a bit of Potter magic will do the trick.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

📸 PONTUS LUNDAHL