Sweden will enter their World Cup last 32 match against France in New Jersey as clear underdogs, but assistant coach Sebastian Larsson remains optimistic about the team's potential for an upset. Despite Sweden's inconsistent recent form, Larsson believes a giant-killing performance is possible.
Sweden qualified for the World Cup through playoffs after finishing bottom of their qualifying group. They opened the tournament with a 5-1 victory over Tunisia, suffered a 5-1 loss to the Netherlands, and advanced to the knockout stage with a 1-1 draw against Japan, finishing third in their group.
France, meanwhile, enters the match bristling with attacking talent and fresh off a 4-1 win over Norway in their final group game. They are considered one of the tournament favorites.
Larsson, who scored in Sweden's 2-0 Euro 2012 win over France and has earned 133 caps for his country, is one of the few remaining staff members from the era of former Danish head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson. Tomasson was dismissed last October after a poor start to World Cup qualifiers. Larsson stayed on under current coach Graham Potter, who led Sweden to playoff victories over Ukraine and Poland to secure World Cup qualification.
Reflecting on Sweden's history, Larsson said, "If you look back, we've managed to knock out bigger teams before, even if it's France this time. It gives me a certain amount of belief in things, definitely in me and hopefully in the players too."
He acknowledged the challenge ahead: "We will have our challenges, but we are looking forward to it in a fantastic way. For us it's about getting everything right, because that will be required."
Larsson also noted the skill level of the French squad: "I don't think I need to say much about France. They have a couple of guys who are quite skilled."
He added, "I hope they don't look forward to meeting us. But if they do, that's just how it is. I think there is a respect for us ... we still have players who can deliver very good things."
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