The Swedish men’s national ice hockey team has been left out of the medal games at the World Cup four times in a row.
Sweden’s World Cup tournament, which started well, ended on Thursday with a surprise loss in the quarterfinals. Latvia, which made a big sensation, was better with 3–1 goals.
It is already the fourth time in a row that Sweden is excluded from the medal games. Also in 2019 and 2022, our western neighbor’s games ended in the quarterfinals. Three years ago, the World Cup was not held.
Two years ago in Latvia, Sweden unfortunately missed the group stage. The change is drastic, as in 2017–2018 the country celebrated two consecutive world championships.
Sweden was second in its group after the USA. A player legend Jonas Bergqvist however, was unhappy with the team’s appearance throughout the tournament.
– No team celebrates when they score a goal. It reflects to me their passion for hockey.
Bergqvist stated that, on the other hand, Latvian players exuded strong motivation and a desire to show off.
– At the moment I’m feeling like shit. You didn’t take the opportunity when you got it, he wrote on Twitter.
Bergqvist continued his criticism in an interview with Expressen.
– I didn’t see passion in the players. I don’t care if we face Denmark, Hungary or France. There must be passion and joy. If the players don’t care, why should the rest of us?
Bergqvist, who used harsh language, made the players look like bastards.
– You had your chance, but you didn’t take it. Don’t feel sorry for yourself, learn from your mistake for next time. The meter is now full. We’ve been left out too many times.
“Easy to kick”
Assistant manager of the Swedish ice hockey team Josef Boumedienne responded to Bergqvist’s harsh criticism. Boumedienne is remembered as a top defender who once also played in the SM league, for example in the ranks of Kärppie.
– It’s easy to kick those lying on the ground. I think the boys have worked hard and acquired what the coaches wanted to do.
The match was played in Riga, so Latvia had the crowd on their side.
– Sweden must win against Latvia regardless of whether the game is in Riga, expert Mikael Rennberg stated on SVT.
In 2021–2022, he served as Sweden’s World Cup manager Johan Garpenlöv. During his time, Sweden also lost the Olympic bronze medal match to Slovakia last year in Beijing.
Sweden went to the World Championships in Tampere and Riga To Sam Hallah in charge, but the World Cup debut of the young head coach turned out to be a fiasco.
For Latvia, the place in the World Cup semi-finals is the first of its kind.