Gabriel Gudmundsson might have enjoyed a brilliant start to life at Leeds United – his Fulham own goal aside – but the last few months with his National Team have been the complete opposite.
There was genuine concern among the Leeds fanbase when it was confirmed that Junior Firpo would not be signing a new contract. Gudmundsson was bought for £10m from Lille as Firpo’s replacement.
It has not taken long for Gudmundsson to appease concerned supporters that Leeds would miss having Firpo on the left flank. Indeed, Gudmundsson’s form has almost reminded fans of Firpo’s weaknesses.
Indeed, Firpo was a liability defensively during his two seasons with Leeds in the Premier League, while Gudmundsson seems able to do both. But with Sweden, Gudmundsson is enduring a tough period.
Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer discuss Sweden’s dismal form
There was optimism and an expectation at the beginning of this season’s 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, that Sweden would make it out of a group also containing Switzerland, Kosovo and Slovenia.
A Sweden side that boasts Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres, and Anthony Elanga, as well as Gudmundsson. Fast forward until now, Sweden have one point from four games after two successive October defeats.
Lineker and Shearer discussed Sweden’s woes on The Rest Is Football, rubbing salt in wounds. Lineker said: “There are a lot of countries you would expect to do reasonably well in qualifying and haven’t.
“Sweden, they’ve got Alexander Isak and numerous other good players. Bottom of their group against Switzerland, Kosovo and Slovenia.” Shearer replied: “Been sacked hasn’t he? Jon Dahl Tomasson?”
Lineker continued, relating it to England: “That’s right. We’re talking about it not being exciting, because winning against relatively mediocre opposition is not thrilling – but you’ve still got to do it.”
The dismal state of Sweden’s 2026 World Cup qualifying group
Not only are Sweden’s chances of World Cup qualification all but over, but Jon Dahl Tomasson has been sacked by Sweden. A risky appointment in the first place, given that Tomasson is from nearby Denmark.
With two games left to play against Isaac Schmidt and potentially Noah Okafor’s Switzerland, as well as Jaka Bijol’s Slovenia, Sweden have to win both games and rely on goal difference resulting in their favour.
| Position | Games played | Wins | Draws | Losses | GD | Points |
| Switzerland | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 10 |
| Kosovo | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 7 |
| Slovenia | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | -3 | 3 |
| Sweden | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | -5 | 1 |
While facing Switzerland first in the first of their two November fixtures, they will need Slovenia to beat Kosovo and then Switzerland to get the job done against Kosovo to squeeze into second place.
Failure to win both games and Sweden, sometimes seen as Europe’s dark horses in major competitions, will not even be at next summer’s tournament. Two of the Premier League’s biggest strikers, absent.
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