The events that took place during the 2006 World Cup were the worst of his career.
But Anders Svensson, 45, believes that the wave of hatred against him has taught the national team to deal with subsequent events, such as Jimmy Durmaz and Marcus Berg.
– I didn’t get much support, as the Swedish national team player often says.
Feature and look at the World Cup in Germany 16 years ago in Viaplay before Sweden-Serbia on Thursday led to an apology live in TV camera from Frederic Ljungberg And Anders Svensson, who has become a scapegoat in the eyes of many fans, was targeted in a battle to play with Kim Kallstrom summer 2006:
Anders, if you see this, I apologize on behalf of myself and the other players. I still feel bad about this today. We would have boycotted all the media, and we wouldn’t have talked at all, if it had made you feel a little better. I am still ashamed of this and deeply upset myself, says Ljungberg.
A very special year
Aftonbladet launched the campaign after the first match of the World Cup – 0-0 against Trinidad and Tobago – to be played by Kallstrom in place of Svensson.
And contributed to a distasteful storm of the masses against the player Alfsburg.
Ljungberg’s collective apology on behalf of the then national team player to Svensson brought back memories.
– You put it behind me. I lived through the worst of my career. I hope no one else can try it. Six months later, I stood with perhaps the best of my career – the Swedish championship gold with Elfsburg, says Anders Svensson in a slightly longer conversation with Sportbladet.
How did you face what happened during the 2006 World Cup?
– I didn’t get much support. If you look at these atrocities that happened Jimmy Dormaz And the Marcus Berg So they received support and backing. It is easy to access comments on social media nowadays. We hope you have learned.
– But no one stood up for me. I got my face straight from the crowd during an event that is going to be the biggest thing you will ever witness, the World Cup.
What happened in detail?
– I could not leave the player’s hotel (in Bremen), as the national team player says 148 times.
– She tried to hang out with the other guys and have coffee, but it didn’t work. I don’t play anymore (after the first game) but as soon as I ran into a Swedish fan – especially one who was drunk – I immediately shit, straight in the face. I couldn’t move anywhere. I was somewhat trapped in the hotel. I had to avoid Swedish fans and Swedish fans in general, says Anders Svensson.
You don’t get to play more
– I think you learned more and more about how to deal with this. Take a look at Durmaz and how the whole team came out and distinguished them. That was nice. But at the same time, he did not play another second in the World Cup after what happened to him. It was the same with me.
Did the haters get it that way?
– It’s hard to answer, but neither me nor Durmaz were allowed to play more in different World Cup tournaments after what happened to us. That’s exactly what’s still weighing on me. Many times I dreamed of playing in the World Cup again.
– How big is Jimmy Durmaz’s mistake in football 2018? A missed intervention gave a free kick. I’m not looking forward to seeing Robin Olsen, but no one is questioning his actions on the free kick.
Did you want to play more in the 2006 World Cup?
– Yes, but not immediately when he was at his worst. I felt really bad at first and wanted to hide. But then we had another meeting and I explained to Lasse Lagerbäck and the others that I had changed, that I wanted to play. But the national team management wanted to protect me.
– Maybe they didn’t really know how to deal with it. Nobody has tested it this way before. That was when the crowd bowed to Gary Sundgren at an international match in Gothenburg that was the closest. It was very good, but it got bigger and harder. I had to take all the blow, says Anders Svensson.