Glenn Strömberg was huge in Italy during his time in Atalanta.
So good that the Italian press thought that Sweden were favorites in VM90 – to Olle Nordin’s great surprise.
Glenn Strömberg is one of Sweden’s greatest football players of all time. He was incredibly important for IFK Gothenburg, which conquered both Sweden and Europe in the early 80’s, and really has iconic status in Atalanta.
Cult status in Atalanta
Strömberg played over 200 matches for the Bergamo club, eight seasons and was team captain for half of his stay at Atalanta. He is undoubtedly one of their greatest, and is hugely popular in the small town located in northern Italy.
The midfielder was also an important piece of the puzzle in the Swedish national team. During the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy, which became his last championship, he was one of Sweden’s most well-known lyre players and the player that the Italians had the absolute best control of.
Because Glenn Strömberg was so big in Italy, the Italian press thought that Sweden had the opportunity to go far in the championship. This was of course something that they confronted the national team captain Olle Nordin with before the group game against Costa Rica.
Strömberg praised enormously
Glenn Strömberg says that the Italian media asked Nordin this at a press conference – to the great surprise of the national team captain.
– They asked Olle Nordin how it feels to be favorites when you are a fairly small football country like Sweden anyway. You were in the final but it was 1958, at home, how does it feel to be favorites now ?, says Glenn Strömberg in the podcast “The Match”.
Olle Nordin did not really understand the question – and hardly wanted to believe it.
– How can think this? Everyone understands that Sweden is not a favorite, says Olle Nordin according to Strömberg.
– We have seen captain Glenn Strömberg here for six years and if you have ten better outdoor players, you are damn favorites, the Italian journalist counters.
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