Jim Gottfridsson’s WC is over.
Now he is also stopped from sitting on the bench during Sweden’s further matches.
– We will decide later today whether to call in someone else, says union captain Glenn Solberg.
It was seven minutes into Sweden’s quarter-final of the Handball World Cup against Egypt that the accident happened to Jim Gottfridsson. He is Sweden’s most important player together with goalkeeper Andreas Palicka, he is the team captain – and was recently named the world’s best handball player by Handball Planet.
The lead tongue injury
He immediately held onto his left hand, and once he sat down on the bench, everyone knew something was wrong. Gottfridsson is not one to back down, especially not in such an important match, but the hard winding on the left hand said that it was over. And so it happened. Gottfridsson was admittedly still on the bench for the entire match, but once in hospital came the nightmare news.
Gottfridsson has a fracture in his left hand, and he will be out for just over two months. He thus misses Sweden’s semi-final against France on Friday, and the possible final match that follows. But Gottfridsson is an important leader in the group, and is always involved as soon as Sweden gathers to talk in time-outs, which you noticed even when he was wrapped during Wednesday evening. But there won’t be any more of that product.
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Nobbas from the bench
When Gottfridsson and the national team met the media on Thursday morning, national team captain Glenn Solberg confirmed that the team captain has no place on the bench, despite the fact that no decision has yet been made to call in a replacement.
– If he can’t play, he shouldn’t sit on the bench. We will decide later today whether to call in someone else, says Glenn Solberg to the media.
Jim Gottfridsson says there were tears last night when the news came.
– It feels like I’ve been training for this all my life and that I was born to do this. Not being able to participate and play for the most precious medals now of course feels bitter, but I still feel like a part of the team. I try to have the pride to help the team in the best way from the bench or the stands. Leaving here is not an option, I have been with this national team for so many years, he says.
READ MORE: The opponent’s nice greeting to Jim Gottfridsson – the injury stops the superstar in the WC: “I’m sorry”