Why Has Sweden's World Cup Bid Gone Wrong And Can Potter Save Them?

Alexander Isak. Viktor Gyokeres. Anthony Elanga. Dejan Kulusevski.

With that benignant of attacking talent, Sweden's qualification for nan 2026 World Cup should person been inevitable.

If only it had panned retired that way.

In reality, Sweden are bottommost of their qualifying group down Slovenia, Kosovo and Switzerland, having not won immoderate of their 4 games.

Automatic qualification is impossible.

There is, fortunately for Sweden, different way.

They could scope nan World Cup done nan play-offs based connected their Uefa Nations League position.

To lead them connected nan travel is recently appointed head Graham Potter, nan erstwhile Chelsea, West Ham and Brighton caput coach who knows nan nationalist civilization truthful good he has been described arsenic "half Swedish".

In October, Sweden sacked Jon Dahl Tomasson little than 2 years into his reign.

Despite being capable to telephone connected Isak and Gyokeres, who moved for a mixed £180m successful nan summertime transportation window, Sweden's past 3 matches nether nan Dane were each qualifying defeats, doubly by Kosovo and erstwhile by Switzerland. In each those games, Sweden grounded to score.

Last month, Swedish shot newsman Daniel Kristoffersson told BBC Sport: "This is 1 of Sweden's champion teams, but nan results are immoderate of nan worst."

Former Denmark and Newcastle striker Tomasson's reign arsenic Sweden's first overseas caput coach had started well, pinch promotion to nan Nations League's 2nd tier helped by Gyokeres scoring 10 goals successful 2024 and Isak five.

But this twelvemonth nan brace person dried up, pinch 1 extremity betwixt them.

"Those players are not bad collectively, but we were underperforming arsenic a corporate massively," erstwhile Sweden and Leicester defender Pontus Kamark told BBC Sport.

"When you do it almost each game, past it is thing much than conscionable nan players.

"Everyone played by themselves and location were wide areas successful nan midfield which exposed nan weaknesses successful defence. Even lower-ranked teams created a batch of chances and could person scored more.

"Tomasson was possibly a spot stubborn and thought he could propulsion through.

"When it has gone excessively far, you request to reset and commencement over. That is why nan Kosovo crippled was nan last. They needed to make a change."

On nan time Tomasson was sacked, Potter was successful his location successful Sweden telling media outlet Fotbollskanalen: "I emotion nan state and I emotion Swedish football. I person a batch to beryllium grateful for towards Swedish football."

Four days later, he was fixed nan job.

Potter's erstwhile roles see an eight-month stint astatine West Ham, 7 months astatine Chelsea, occurrence pinch Brighton and Swansea, and 7 years managing Swedish broadside Ostersunds from 2011.

The Englishman, 50, guided Ostersunds from nan 4th tier of Swedish shot to nan apical section and helped them assistance nan Swedish Cup successful 2017.

"Potter is half Swedish," said Kamark. "Well, he's not, but he really said Swedish successful nan property conference, truthful he is very likeable and he is almost 1 of our own. He will get much clip than astir overseas managers.

"At nan infinitesimal we could not person sewage anyone better. He should beryllium a amended head now contempt immoderate trouble successful his past 2 spells. He is simply a very humble man pinch bully ideas.

"When nan squad play, you request to get everyone connected board, and he is simply a really bully head to do that, particularly for a state for illustration Sweden.

"Maybe it's not that easy astatine Chelsea - location are a batch of captains connected that ship. In Sweden we want 1 skipper and we want to travel that captain."

Potter is "always adapting and innovating", according to Kamark.

"For Sweden to play world tournaments trying to predominate successful midfield, we will underperform," he said.

"You request to person a corporate measurement of playing, which Potter understands.

"He has proven it pinch his teams. To beat Arsenal distant pinch Ostersunds successful 2018 - moreover if it was a one-off game, it shows he has nan ability."

Sweden could scope nan World Cup play-offs by finishing 2nd successful their qualifying group, but they would request to hit Switzerland and Slovenia this period and dream Kosovo neglect to prime up different point.

There is different path. By winning promotion successful nan Nations League nether Tomasson past season, Sweden are successful a beardown position to scope nan World Cup play-offs arsenic 1 of nan 4 champion performing teams successful nan Nations League not assured of a play-off spot.

From there, they would beryllium 3 games distant from nan World Cup.

"There is hope. Even group successful nan newspapers constitute astir hope; experts talk astir nan hope," said Kamark.

"We should person won nan group, but aft that there's nary existent quality betwixt finishing 2nd and this Nations League route, which is our fortunate ticket.

"If Potter wins 3 games and we spell to nan World Cup, he will beryllium a god.

"And moreover if he doesn't win he will person time. Hopefully he tin create thing speedy and past who knows what will happen?"