Talk about squeezing in through the back door! Sweden didn’t win a single match in a disastrous qualifying campaign as they suffered the ignominy of finishing bottom of their group (behind Switzerland, Kosovo and Slovenia, no less), losing six games and drawing twice. How the hell did they qualify for the World Cup, then, you ask? Well, to answer that question we have to jump way back to November 2024, as the Swedes remarkably claimed a playoff place by virtue of topping a Nations League C group comprising of Azerbaijan, Estonia and Slovakia – and they’d been relegated from League B to even get that opportunity.
Nevertheless, the decision to sack Jon Dahl Tomasson and parachute in former West Ham, Chelsea and Brighton boss Graham Potter ahead of the spring playoffs has paid serious dividends, as the Englishman got the job done in the most dramatic of circumstances. Sweden comfortably beat Ukraine in their semi-final, aided by the fact the game was played at a neutral venue rather than in the war-hit nation, before an 88th-minute Viktor Gyokeres strike saw off Poland in a 3-2 victory back on home turf.
Despite their incredibly unorthodox route to the tournament, the Swedes could still pose a threat in North America with Gyokeres and Alexander Isak (if he is fully fit) in their attacking arsenal. On paper it’s an exciting young squad overall, with players like Lucas Bergvall, Roony Bardghji, Yasin Ayari and Williot Swedberg all considered to have high ceilings. However, their qualification woes tell you they will still have their work cut out to spring any surprises at the World Cup proper as they take their place in Group F alongside the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia.
