It was long uncertain who would take over as the national team captain for the Swedish national team, but the choice finally fell on the Danish attacking star Jon Dahl Tomasson. He had a successful career where he played for big teams such as AC Milan and the Danish national team. He has also had a successful career as a coach and has, among other things, won two SM golds with Malmö FF. Now the question is whether he has what it takes to get the Swedish national team back on its feet? Maybe we will get some answers in the next game against Portugal.
A historic choice by the Swedish national team
Tomasson not only brings his merits from his international career, he also makes history as the first foreign national team captain in Sweden. Tomasson has already spoken out, saying he’s looking forward to getting started.
The first time we get to see Tomasson as the national team captain is in Sweden’s upcoming friendlies against Portugal and Albania. He also brings Remy Reijnierse as assistant coach. You can already bet on the matches and predict the outcome if you wish.
Sweden will see themselves as big underdogs in the first match against Portugal. That Portugal will win the match is currently around 1.50 with most people the best sites for betting. That Sweden will go home as a winner stands at around 5.50 in the money. You can also bet on a draw at around 3.70 times the money. These odds can also change as we get closer to kick-off.
Has a contract until WC 2026
Sweden will not participate in this summer’s EC tournament as they missed qualifying for the first time in 28 years. It was after this failure that the former national team captain had to resign. Tomasson and his assistant coach took office on March 1 and currently have a contract that extends from the upcoming World Cup qualifiers to the 2026 World Cup. If there is promotion, this agreement will automatically be extended.
The draw for the World Cup qualifiers in 2026 is not yet complete and Sweden will therefore have to wait a while for some important international matches. They thus have the opportunity to play together as a team and have a good chance in the upcoming qualification. WC 2026 is organized by three countries, USA, Canada and Mexico and take a seat in 11 different arenas. So it’s an exciting championship we have to look forward to.
The Swedish Football Association is satisfied with the choice
The Swedish Football Association has also made a statement and is very satisfied with the selection of a new federation captain. They think it is fantastic to have found a coach with so many credentials from international football. It is now hoped that Swedish national team football will be able to step into a new era.
Tomasson was previously the coach of the English team Blackburn, which plays in the Championship. As we mentioned earlier, he has also coached Malmö FF to two SM golds in a row. They also managed to qualify for the Champions League during his time as coach. He has also coached the Danish national team for many years and thus has extensive knowledge of international matches.
Has a successful career behind him
Before Tomasson started coaching, he also had a successful career as a coach. He played 110 international matches for the national team and scored 52 goals. That makes him one of the top goalscorers in Denmark of all time. In addition to AC Milan, he has also played in teams such as Feyenoord, Stuttgart and Villarreal.
The former national team player Kim Källström, who is now the football manager of the Swedish national team, says that they appreciate Tomasson’s playing background. It is also a strength that he has experience from national team activities after his years in Denmark. There are therefore very positive voices regarding the new coach change in Sweden. Since Sweden will not play in the European Championship in 2024, they also have a long time to prepare before it is time for the next qualifier.
Will want to play fast attacking football
The Football Association has also pointed out that Tomasson will mean a big change for the Swedish playing system. Sweden has previously been a team focused on defense and quick transitions. Tomasson will instead want to play a fast attacking football which suits many of the players in the team.
The assistant coach is called Remy Reijnierse and comes from the Netherlands. He has previously worked with Tomasson in Malmö and most recently in England. It is thus a proven duo that will take over the Swedish national team. Now they focus on getting to know the Swedish squad and making everyone feel connected. It is very possible that they will try some new game systems in the upcoming practice matches on the schedule.
Is this the coaching change that reverses the trend?
Swedish football has unfortunately been a disappointment in recent years and above all when they failed to qualify for the upcoming EC qualifiers in summer 2024. Sweden was then in group F and ended up in 3rd place. They only managed to collect 10 points during the entire qualification and were far behind 2nd place Austria on 19 points.
It was clear after this qualification that a change was required in Swedish football. Now many experts are asking if this is the coaching change that will once again make Sweden a national team to be reckoned with. Sweden is currently in 26th place in the ranking and has missed two straight championships. However, the team has a number of interesting young talents who may soon become something to reckon with. Many experts now hope that Tomasson dares to bring some new players into the squad who can give new energy.
Sweden is in a difficult situation
Tomasson has no easy task ahead of him. Sweden has high expectations of the Swedish national team and as a coach you have the most vulnerable position. Since Sweden has missed the last two championships, they are also in a difficult financial situation. This means that they have had to cut back on other activities.
One of the first goals is for Sweden to get back up to the B division in the Nations League. They slipped down to the C division in connection with missing the EC playoffs. Many also want to qualify for the World Cup finals in North America in 2026, but they also realize that it is a very difficult task.
Many will follow the friendlies
Although it is difficult to draw any conclusions from a couple of individual friendly matches, there are certainly many Swedish supporters who sit on the bench and follow the matches. There are probably not many who expect a win against Portugal. They are still one of the world’s best national teams and have a great player in Cristiano Ronaldo. It would be a great achievement if Sweden gets a draw in this match.
Many will surely focus on the friendly match against Albania where the new national team really has a chance to show what they are about. However, Sweden will have to wait until the spring of 2025 before it is time for some matches that really matter. That’s when the qualifiers for the WC 2026 begin. The groups have not yet been drawn, so we do not yet know which opponents Sweden will face. Only then will it be easier to make an analysis of Sweden’s chances of reaching the WC.
Photo: Bildbyrån
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