Liverpool’s record signing Alexander Isak did not hold back in his review of the Sweden national team’s recent poor run of results, which he labelled a “crisis situation.”
The prolific forward was uncharacteristically wayward on Monday evening, spurning three clear scoring opportunities as Sweden were condemned to a dismal 1–0 home defeat to Kosovo. The Scandinavian outfit have lost their last three matches on the spin and boast just one point from their opening four World Cup qualifiers.
Slumped at the foot of their qualification group, Sweden already have no chance of automatically reaching the 2026 World Cup. Isak and his illustrious compatriots—who include Arsenal striker Viktor Gyökeres and Newcastle United forward Anthony Elanga—are six points adrift of second-placed Kosovo, who currently occupy the solitary playoff spot.
For Sweden to even have a chance of qualifying, they would have to win their final two matches and hope Kosovo collect consecutive defeats.
“It’s f------ awful,” Isak fumed postgame. “Embarrassing. Disappointed, once again. Everything is too bad.”
Isak: Sweden Not Making Any Kind of Progress
When asked for a diagnosis of Sweden’s issues, the nation’s talisman painted with a broad brush. “A combination of everything,” he hissed. “We’re playing too badly. The way we’re playing doesn’t work. We’re doing it too badly individually too. It’s a combination of everything.
“There has been a negative development since the World Cup qualifiers started, there hasn’t been any progress. It’s bitter.”
Isak was offered the chance to defend his international manager Jon Dahl Tomasson—who routinely backed the striker during his stormy summer transfer saga. He bluntly turned that down.
“It’s so f------ disappointing, we as players are so damn unhappy. We take a lot of responsibility ourselves and look at ourselves in the mirror. No one is approved. Not us players and not us as a team, and that of course includes the coach and everyone around us.”
“It’s a bit of a crisis situation,” Isak concluded. “That’s clear. I don’t know what we’re going to do. But it’s all too bad.”
Isak Can Take International Frustrations Out on Man Utd
Sweden’s spectacular collapse puts Liverpool’s so-called struggles into perspective. The Reds skulked into the international break on the back of three consecutive defeats yet still sit second in the embryonic Premier League table, just one point adrift of Arsenal.
Isak is yet to hit top form for his new side after such a disrupted summer, but could take advantage of a less-than-convincing Manchester United rearguard this weekend.
The former Newcastle United frontman enjoyed a Premier League double over the Red Devils last season, thumping an emphatic header past André Onana in a 2–0 victory at Old Trafford last December.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Alexander Isak Unleashes Frustrations With Expletive Rant.
