Sweden’s inferiority complex in the European football qualifiers is the opposite of the Huuhkajat drug that lives in Finland. Goalless defeats and a long-lasting slump have raised doubts about the national team’s attitude.
The Swedish national football team is in danger of being left out of the European Championship for the first time since 1996. Sweden is third in its qualifying group for the European Championship with three points.
The team has lost to Belgium and Austria without even scoring a goal, which has fueled criticism of the national team’s attitude and commitment. Whereas in Finland people live on the Huuhkajat drug and tickets to the qualifying games are taken out of hand, in Sweden the national team is beaten both on the field and in the media.
March’s 0-3 home loss to Belgium and Tuesday’s 0-2 away loss to their worst rival, Austria, have left Sweden in the middle of Group F. The situation is a continuation of the World Cup qualifiers that went under Sweden’s bench and the failure in last year’s Nations League.
Recent excerpts arouse concern and criticism for a reason. It can be said that Sweden have lost their last seven matches against quality football nations in competitive matches. In addition to Austria and Belgium, Serbia and Norway have walked over the blue and yellows twice, as well as Poland.
Swedish Sportbladet according to Viasat’s expert who commented on the qualifying matches Bojan Djordjic heralded the Swedish players’ passion for the national team.
– The enthusiasm and passion I wanted to see was missing. If Robin Olsen had there not been a wall, the readings would have already been 2–0 to Austria at halftime, commented Djordjic.
Austria completed its hit in the last ten minutes of regular time.
The distraught team immediately took up a defensive position. Substituted midfielder after the first half Albin Ekdal responded to Djordjic’s criticism.
– After a loss, it’s easy to say that passion and will are missing. That you don’t run and so on. But that’s not what it’s about now. He can criticize the game itself, but I think passion is always present in the national team, Ekdal tells Sportbladet.
The head coach of the national team Janne Andersson the position was questioned after Tuesday’s defeat. Expressen’s however, the Swedish Football Association’s trust in the head coach has not wavered.
Among other things, Djordjic criticized Andersson’s gambling and the men after the match clashed harshly At Viasat’s studio table.
The same two argued strongly already in March, even though at that time Sweden had beaten Azerbaijan 5–0.
Next summer, 24 countries will play in the European Championships in Germany, 20 of which will advance to the tournament through the qualifiers. In addition to the host country Germany, the top two in each qualifying group secure a place in the tournament.
In addition to this, three places are awarded to the winners of the A, B and C leagues of the Nations League. If the winners of the leagues have claimed their place in the games through the qualifiers, the country with the next best ranking in the League of Nations can go to the European Championship.
The situations of the qualifying groups