How Sweden finished a 60-year drought

By Alexandra Jonson with Sweden

Defeating Korea Republic in their opening compare during a 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ saw Sweden overcoming a 60-year drought. The Scandinavians hadn’t won their initial compare during a World Cup given 1958, when a contest was hold in their possess backyard.

Since then, Sweden have competent for 7 World Cups though unsuccessful to benefit a win in any of their opening matches, with draws in 1974, 1978, 1994, 2002 and 2006. In 1970 and 1990, they mislaid their first-up encounters.

Though a stream stand of players are personification in their initial ever World Cup, many of them have gifted a opening compare hex when personification during a UEFA EURO in 2012 and 2016. That a Swedes could finally put an finish to a opening-match abuse was a outcome of tough work, total with a lot of mental training.

Mental preparation
When Janne Andersson took over as conduct manager for a Swedish inhabitant organisation in 2016 he brought Daniel Ekvall with him, a sports psychology advisor, who worked with Andersson for several years during his prior bar IFK Norrkoping. Ekvall has turn an critical figure in formulating what has turn a biggest strength of a Swedish team, a organisation cohesion.

“We have worked a lot with Daniel Ekvall, and schooled what is critical for us so that we can be as mentally prepared as possible. That’s something we will continue to do and a trust we have in this organisation among a players and a staff creates me trust we are improved prepared than in prior tournaments,” pronounced captain Andreas Granqvist a day before Sweden’s opening compare opposite Korea Republic.

Article source: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/how-sweden-ended-a-60-year-drought