Swedish Goalkeeper Robin Olsen Retires from International Football

Robin Olsen quits Sweden national team citing disagreement with Coach Tomasson

Swedish goalkeeper Robin Olsen quits national team after 79 appearances, citing issues with coach Tomasson's leadership style.

“I will not play for the national team as long as Jon Dahl Tomasson is the national team coach...”

Robin Olsen, the former FC Copenhagen, Aston Villa, and AS Roma goalkeeper, has announced his shocking decision to retire from international football with immediate effect. 

Olsen's decision comes after a decade-long career with the Swedish national team, during which he played 79 matches and participated in major tournaments like the 2018 World Cup and Euro 2021. Despite being the first-choice goalkeeper, Olsen reportedly lost his spot after a string of poor performances, including a costly error in the 2-2 draw against Slovenia and a 2-0 defeat to Kosovo. “Then I got a call from him yesterday, where he said he wanted to replace me, and then I felt that he was a manager I didn't want to work under,” Olsen added.

Olsen emphasized that he wouldn't play for the national team as long as Tomasson is the coach, citing a lack of trust and confidence in the coach's leadership. Tomasson, on the other hand, expressed disappointment over Olsen's comments, feeling that they betrayed his teammates.

Reaction from the Swedish Football Federation:

Swedish national team manager Stefan Pettersson expressed his sadness over Olsen's decision, stating that Olsen had been an integral part of the team and would be greatly missed.

“Robin Olsen has made many strong performances over a long period and has meant an enormous amount for the Swedish national team. It's sad that he chooses to quit and we wish Robin all the best in his further career,” Pettersson said.

Aftonbladet asks Olsen why he is making the surprising decision now, and Olsen puts all the cards on the table.

He says that Jon Dahl Tomasson told him a month ago during a meeting between the two that Olsen was his first choice between the posts for Sweden.

Subsequently, Olsen performed so badly during matches against Slovenia and Kosovo that it allegedly had consequences for the agreement they had otherwise entered into

 

Säga vad man vill om Jon Dahl Tomasson och att han kanske inte är den optimala ledaren för vårt landslag. Men att Robin Olsen väljer att avsluta landslagskarriären efter han får veta att han blir petad efter två usla insatser i ett VM-kval är ju inget annat än barnsligt. Pinsamt! pic.twitter.com/fM9YCC9DBP

— Carl Sundqvist (@carlsundqvist) September 30, 2025

Robin Olsen, the 35-year-old goalkeeper, has announced his retirement from international football, citing a disagreement with Sweden's coach, Jon Dahl Tomasson. In a recent interview with Aftonbladet, Olsen expressed his frustration, saying, “Then I got a call from him yesterday, where he said he wanted to replace me, and then I felt that he was a manager I didn't want to work under.” This decision comes after Olsen was informed that he would no longer be the first-choice goalkeeper for Sweden's upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

Background of the Disagreement:

Loss of Starting Position: Tomasson told Olsen a month ago that he was Sweden's number one goalkeeper, but later informed him that he would be replaced.

Recent Performances: Olsen's mistakes in the matches against Slovenia and Kosovo likely contributed to Tomasson's decision.

Upcoming Matches: Sweden will play their next World Cup qualifying match against Switzerland on October 10 in Stockholm, with Viktor Johansson potentially taking over as the starting goalkeeper.

Olsen's departure has sparked a reaction from Tomasson, who criticized the goalkeeper for betraying his teammates. Despite this, Olsen remains firm in his decision, stating, “I will not play for the national team as long as Jon Dahl Tomasson is the national team coach.”