Swedish midfielder Albin Eckdal said that the pressing desire to win that star Zlatan Ibrahimovic had not always been beneficial to other players in the Swedish national team.
Eckdal recalled his memories at the 2016 European Nations Championship when the Swedish team exited the group stage, saying, "His signs with his hand and his sharp comments diminished the confidence of some players in themselves."
The European Nations Championship 2016 was the last tournament Ibrahimovic participated in with the Swedish team before he retired from international football, and it was the first Ikdal tournament with the Swedish team.
Eckdal spoke of that period and said, "Our team was made up of a world player and ten fit players to help him dominate. That method did not work. Everyone agreed that Zlatan should take possession of the ball as closely as possible, it made sense when you had a player of this type. But relying on one player does not always achieve success in football. "
Eckdal, 30, said that after Ibrahimovic retired internationally, the Swedish team, coached by Jani Anderson, became a different team. He explained that the 2018 World Cup in Russia was a witness that the Swedish team became a team team full of harmony and confidence, which allowed them to reach the quarter-finals.
Ibrahimovic, 38, played 116 games for the Swedish national team, during which he scored 62 goals. Currently playing for the Italian team Milan.