‘The nightmare that never ended’: Swedish media on Euro 2025 penalty heartbreak | OneFootball

Swedish media reacted with incredulity and indignation after the country’s women’s team lost the Euro 2025 quarter-final to England on penalties.

The Swedes raced into a 2-0 lead in the first half before the Lionesses responded with two quickfire goals to take the game into extra time. After a goalless 30 minutes Sarina Wiegman’s team, the reigning champions, won a fraught shootout 3-2.

Aftonbladet called the denouement “brutal” and described the penalty shootout as the “nightmare that never ended”. “For 80 minutes there was no doubt about which team were about to go through,” wrote Frida Fagerlund. “Sweden dominated the first half and had one leg in the semis until the 19-year-old Michelle Agyemang equalised with very little time left.”

In Expressen, Frida Olsson talked about the “indescribable joy and enormous sorrow” on display just after the game had finished. “Down on the pitch we can see the most disgusting extremes of elite sport,” she said. “The English players are in ecstasy and on the other side we have the Swedish players, whose dream has just been shattered into 10,000 pieces. Their gazes are empty. There are tears running down several players’ cheeks. They embrace in an attempt to understand what has just happened. The disappointment cuts through like a knife.”

England had been favourites going into the quarter-final but were second-best in the first half. Lauren Hemp did hit the bar for the Lionesses but the goalkeeper Hannah Hampton had to make several smart saves to prevent Sweden going 3-0 up.

There was a lot of criticism for the selection of penalty takers with the 18-year-old Smilla Holmberg being asked to take the seventh for the Swedes. There were several more experienced players who had not taken one by that time. Holmberg missed and was reduced to tears.

The former Sweden international Lotta Schelin, commentating on TV, felt the decision was inexplicable. “My first thought is that you should not put that pressure on an 18-year-old,” she said. “We had players such as Madelen Janogy and Lina Hurtig who could have stepped up. It feels very tough and unfair.”

Holmberg was supported by all her teammates. “It is fantastic that she takes that responsibility, she should be proud,” said Rebecka Blomqvist while Janogy added: “It is very hard to see her so upset. We will just look after her and praise her because she is so incredibly cool.”

The game was the final one for the Sweden coach, Peter Gerhardsson, who is stepping down after eight successful years in charge. “It feels pretty pointless to try to analyse this game right now,” he said after the game. “Right now the feelings are … one feels sadness. I am sad that it ended this way.”

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