Why Sweden's Football Revolution Under Tomasson Imploded: A Dismal World Cup Qualifying Campaign
The Swedish Football Federation sacked Jon Dahl Tomasson, marking a historic first for the organization. Tomasson's dismissal follows a dismal World Cup qualifying campaign, culminating in a humiliating 1-0 loss to Kosovo at home. So, what led to his downfall?
“I find that there are still people who are sceptical about whether we can play so offensively against better nations...”
Sweden's World Cup qualifying campaign under Jon Dahl Tomasson was a disaster. Despite high hopes, the team struggled, and a 1-0 loss to Kosovo at home sealed Tomasson's fate. The Swedish Football Federation sacked him, marking a historic first for the organization.
Tomasson's tenure began with promise, but he failed to deliver. Sweden's team, boasting stars like Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres, couldn't score, and their defense was vulnerable. The team's high-pressing 4-3-3 formation didn't work, and Tomasson's tactics were questioned.
The final blow came with the Kosovo loss, leaving Sweden bottom of Group B with just one point from four matches. Despite a successful Nations League campaign that earned them promotion to League B, Tomasson's inability to replicate that success in World Cup qualifying led to his dismissal.
Tomasson's approach was supposed to modernize Swedish football, but it ultimately didn't pay off. The team's stars, including Isak and Gyökeres, failed to shine, and the coach's inability to adapt and fix the team's problems sealed his fate. With a new coach, Sweden hopes to turn things around and secure a World Cup spot.
After more than seven years in the role, Janne Andersson stepped down as Swedish national coach in November 2023, paving the way for a new era. Kim Kallstrom, the newly appointed Director of Football at the Swedish FA and former Arsenal defender, made a historic decision to hire a non-Swedish coach, bringing in Jon Dahl Tomasson in February 2024.
Tomasson, who had previously made a name for himself as a coach at Malmo and Blackburn, was tasked with steadying the Swedish ship. At his first press conference, Tomasson took an unconventional approach by speaking in English, despite being Danish. “I'm not going to speak Swedish because I want to be understood, but most importantly, I want to be able to understand all the questions. To be honest, if I were to speak Danish, everyone wouldn't be able to understand it, and if I tried to speak Swedish – sorry, but I'm a nightmare,” he said, humorously acknowledging the potential language barrier.
Sweden's national team shifted from their traditional 4-4-2 formation to a 3-4-1-2 setup under Jon Dahl Tomasson. This tactical change yielded immediate positive results, with Sweden dominating the Nations League and topping key statistics for goals, shots, chances created, and passes into the final third.
The new system seemed to unlock the talents of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres, who formed a potent attacking duo. Tomasson's tactics allowed the team to flourish, with six wins in seven matches, and the team's attacking play was widely praised. The new formation appeared to be the right formula for linking the team with Isak and Gyökeres, who were instrumental in Sweden's success.
“I find that there are still people who are sceptical about whether we can play so offensively against better nations. We play offensively, but in no way naively. Some observers have called it a revolution. I see my task first and foremost as a turnaround from bad results by building a new style and a new team,” said Tomasson to Bold.dk after the first promising campaign.
His biggest critics pointed out that the initial promising results in the Nations League had been achieved against smaller football nations like Estonia, Azerbaijan, and Slovakia, and cracks began to appear at the surface when Sweden lost 1-0 to Luxembourg in preparation for the World Cup campaign.
Alexander Isak joined the Swedish World Cup squad out of shape, and despite a promising 2-1 win in Slovenia, the team couldn't hold on, thanks to a late goalkeeper error by Robin Olsen that resulted in a 2-2 draw.
The team's struggles continued with a shocking 2-0 loss away against Kosovo, further souring the atmosphere in the Swedish camp. This defeat was a significant blow to Sweden's World Cup hopes and raised concerns about the team's overall performance and cohesion.
Just before Sweden's next World Cup qualifier against Switzerland, goalkeeper Robin Olsen shocked everyone by announcing his retirement from international football, citing irreconcilable differences with coach Jon Dahl Tomasson. Olsen claimed Tomasson had promised him a starting role in the qualifiers, only to bench him against Switzerland.
Tomasson fired back, accusing Olsen of letting his teammates down by publicly criticizing him instead of resolving their differences internally. This isn't the first time Tomasson has clashed with a player.
During his time at Malmo FF, Jon Dahl Tomasson had controversies with players like Behrang Safari and Rasmus Bengtsson, who felt poorly treated by him. Similarly, in the national team, Hugo Larsson expressed frustration over limited playing time under Tomasson's leadership, and Anthony Elanga has also been involved in a minor controversy with the coach.
HISTORIC NIGHT AS #KOSOVO DEFEATS #SWEDEN ONCE AGAIN! 💙
— Kosovo Football 🇽🇰 (@kosovarfootball) October 13, 2025
𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞: 🇽🇰1-0🇸🇪#SWEKOS pic.twitter.com/xckpozT6ma
The Swedish fans were vocal about their discontent with Tomasson's leadership, booing him during the presentation before the crucial match against Switzerland. After a disappointing loss to Kosovo, banners demanding his dismissal were displayed, with some fans labeling him the “Danish Devil.” The Swedish media criticized Tomasson's tactics, questioning his use of substitutes and his decision to keep the starting lineup secret until the last minute, leaving his players uncertain.
The Swedish Football Association ultimately decided to terminate national team coach Jon Dahl Tomasson's contract due to the team's poor performance, marking a historic first for the Swedish FA.
No comments:
Leave comment here