2018 World Cup: Sweden is in the quarterfinals – the power of the collective

The Swiss national team was slightly favored in the World Cup knockout round against Sweden. The players spoke in advance of the greatest opportunity of their lives. For the first time since 1954, a place among the best eighth teams in the world would have been possible. The result was the weakest of the World Cup, which is particularly troublesome when the players do not respect the tactical requirements of the coach. Vladimir Petkovic's verdict on the 1-0 defeat was "We were stuck together."

The coach wanted to expand the game, and then play in depth to get the Swedish defender a bit clumsy on the court with pbades in the back. To force mistakes. Instead, 29 flanks sailed into the opponent's penalty area, which both center-backs Andreas Granqvist and Victor Lindelöf took note of with gratitude. Petkovic did not want to limit his departure to his own players: "He was also a good opponent on the field".

This opponent also used a unique chance. Sweden was last in the United States in 1994 in the quarter-finals, then even enough for third place. This was followed by three missed tournament appearances, as well as the end of the round of 16 in 2002 and 2006 – though with Zlatan Ibrahimovic since 2001 probably the best Swedish footballer in Blågult history led for fifteen years. The Swedish national team has never exceeded mediocrity despite Ibrahimovic. Or maybe because of him?

"We are a collective and we support"

National coach Janne Andersson did not want to talk about the past and did not mention the name of the Swedish marker. Nevertheless, it was clear to everyone that Andersson's congratulations for his team also concerned Ibrahimovic. "We are a team with a totally new team spirit," said the coach. "I am responsible, but the whole team is important, we are a collective and we support each other."

Andersson felt really uncomfortable when he was addressed to the songs of Swedish fans in the stadium of St. Petersburg. "It's surreal," Andersson said. "People call my name on such a day, but we all work for each other and each other, football is a team sport."

What quickly becomes a platitude with other teams, has a back among the Swedes, whose share of success should not be trivialized. Over the years, Ibrahimovic has surpbaded everyone, both in public perception and in the field, when the whole team wanted to rely on the star player. This obstacle has not existed for two years and is therefore extinguished with a new approach to the World Cup qualifying the Netherlands, in the playoffs in Italy and in the group stage of the Cup of the world in Germany.

Motivator Ibrahimovic

Ibrahimovic is now feverish as a spectator, as several entries into the social media show. But he would not be that egocentric global star, the brand Ibrahimovic, though he had not commented on Sweden's defeat against Germany as follows. Seeing the games was "different", "because I felt that I could do a lot better than them, and I still feel it," said Ibrahimovic, an expert on the US TV channel ESPN.

If the Swedish team around Captain Granqvist needed motivation, it was delivered by Ibrahimovic. And in the Swedish media, it is also the legend that the racism scandal to Jimmy Durmaz has further strengthened the team spirit. Since then, Mexico have been beaten 3-0 and Switzerland had only two chances to score in the match.

Sweden are now in the quarterfinals after Emil Forsberg's goal from Leipzig and can hope for even more on the lighter side of the tournament. "They have never been traded as a favorite," said Swiss coach Petkovic, another reason for the hit series. It will not change in the next games.