Sweden Faces Uphill Battle in World Cup Qualifiers Ahead of Crucial Kosovo Clash
Sweden’s national football team struggles in 2025 World Cup qualifiers as they prepare for a crucial home match against Kosovo, with both teams adapting strategies amidst high expectations.
- • Sweden has only secured one point from three World Cup qualifier matches, causing widespread concern.
- • Kosovo defeated Sweden 2-0 in their previous meeting and plans to play aggressively again.
- • Coach Jon Dahl Tomasson confirmed Isak, Gyökeres, and goalkeeper Johansson to start against Kosovo.
- • The upcoming match at Ullevi in Gothenburg is sold out with approximately 37,000 fans expected.
Key details
The Swedish national football team is under significant pressure after a disappointing start in the 2025 World Cup qualifiers, accumulating only one point from their first three matches. This poor performance has sparked surprise and concern both within the squad and among the fans.
Kosovo striker Fisnik Asllani expressed his astonishment at Sweden's struggles, highlighting the quality within Sweden's lineup, including forwards Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres. Kosovo, currently second in the qualifying group with four points, defeated Sweden 2-0 in their previous encounter in Pristina, an unexpected result given Sweden's reputation and attacking strength. Kosovo’s coach, Franco Foda, plans to adopt an aggressive and offensive tactic once again in the upcoming match, aiming to quickly penetrate the final third while anticipating that Sweden will maintain a similar playing style to their past games (IDs 97745, 97855, 97856).
Sweden's head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson acknowledged the disappointment following their recent 0-2 home loss to Switzerland and understands the frustration of the fans. He admitted to the challenges posed by the defeat but remains focused on the next match against Kosovo, planning to surprise the opposition with his starting lineup. Confirmed starters include Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyökeres, and goalkeeper Viktor Johansson. Tomasson was deliberately secretive regarding the team’s captaincy, stating, "We will see tomorrow, I want to surprise you". The upcoming match, scheduled at 20:45 on Monday at Ullevi in Gothenburg, is sold out with around 37,000 spectators expected, marking Sweden’s first competitive game at this venue since 2009 (IDs 97759, 97765).
Both Isak and Gyökeres have emphasized the need for self-criticism within the team and recognize that the squad must improve their handling of key match situations. The pressure is mounting as Sweden attempts to recover from their initial setbacks and secure valuable points against Kosovo to keep their World Cup qualification hopes alive.