Sweden Falls to France in Dramatic Nations League Bronze Match, Marking End of Linda Sembrant's National Team Career

The Swedish women's national football team endured a heartbreaking loss to France in the 2025 Nations League bronze medal match, finishing fourth in the tournament. The match, held at Stockholm's 3 arena and witnessed by 9,141 spectators, saw an intense, emotional battle where Sweden forced extra time after trailing on aggregate.

France initially led 1-0 in the match and 3-1 on aggregate, but late goals from substitutes Evelyn Ijeh in the 84th minute and Rosa Kafaji in stoppage time leveled the tie at 3-3 on aggregate, pushing the game into extra time. A tense brawl broke out following Ijeh's equalizer, involving multiple players and resulting in yellow cards for French goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud–Magnin and Swedish player Filippa Angeldal. However, France's Kelly Gago scored in the second extra time period, securing a 2-2 draw in the match and a 4-3 aggregate win, awarding France the bronze medal.

Sweden's coach Tony Gustavsson was red-carded after disputing the referee's decisions post-match but will not face suspension during upcoming World Cup qualifiers. This match was Sweden's first since their last Euro 2025 victory over Germany in July, marking a disappointing end to their Nations League campaign.

Notably, this game was also the final international appearance for veteran defender Linda Sembrant, who has been part of the national setup since 2008. Substituted in the 88th minute, Sembrant played through extra time before concluding her career with the team. Reflecting on her time, she expressed pride in the rising generation, particularly highlighting young talents like Ijeh and Kafaji, and noted the growing recognition of women's football in Sweden. Sembrant's fondest memory remains winning the silver medal at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. She plans to take a break before returning to club football in the Damallsvenskan with AIK and looks forward to following the team's future successes.

The Swedish team is set to resume international competition against Italy on March 3, 2026, in World Cup qualifying. Despite the disappointment, the team and fans look forward to building on the positives demonstrated in the Nations League match.