2018 World Cup Odds and Prediction: Sweden Team Betting Preview

The Swedes hope a new manager and team identity will push the nation to the classy section of the World Cup despite the lack of star talent on the squad.

2018 Sweden World Cup Betting Odds

Odds to advance to knockout stages: +125

Odds to win the World Cup: +11,900

Number of World Cup wins: 16

FIFA world ranking: No. 23

Manager: Janne Andersson

Captain: Andreas Granqvist

Sweden Players to Watch

Emil Forsberg is the danger man opposing teams will be looking to snuff out for Sweden. The playmaking midfielder tallied 22 assists in the 2016-17 campaign for Bundesliga side RB Leipzig but he fell out of favour at the club this past season and totaled just two goals and two helpers in 15 appearances.

He’s still a technically gifted player and his right foot is a weapon in dead ball situations.

Sweden World Cup Formation and Projected Starting 11

Andersson deploys a 4-4-2 formation and he demands a high work rate from all his players. The Blue-Yellow don’t have enough skill to win the possession battle. They will defend and press the opponents into making mistakes they can then capitalize on in counterattacks.

F.C. Copenhagen starting keeper Robin Olsen will be the last line of defence for Sweden at the World Cup and Victor Lindelof, Mikael Lustig, Andreas Granqvist and Ludwig Augustinsson figure to make up the backline. Lindelof fits a common story about many of the players on the Swede squad. The 23-year-old centre half made just 17 league appearances in his first year at Manchester United.

Forsberg will be joined in the midfield by Albin Ekdal, Victor Claesson and former Sunderland regular Sebastian Larsson. Marcus Berg is one of only two players to score four goals in a single match during the World Cup qualification. He’ll start upfront with Ola Toivonen playing next to him.

Sweden Strengths

For as great of a goal-scoring and as much of a supreme, once-in-a-generation talent Zlatan Ibrahimovic is, he extremely difficult to coach and will never win an award for best teammate. He was the face of the national team from 2001 until the 2016 Euro Cup when he announced his international retirement.

Sweden’s game plan no longer has to revolve around getting Zlatan the ball and keeping the moody diva happy. The new strategy should yield better results – if not flashy ones. Sweden qualified for Russia by beating four-time World Cup Champions Italy in a two-leg playoff.

Sweden Weaknesses

There just isn’t a lot of game-changing talent for Andersson to put out on the pitch. Most of Sweden’s projected starting 11 were sparely used substitutes at their clubs this past season. The lack of playing time means Andersson is relying on a large group of out-of-form players to carry Sweden into the knockout stages.

Sweden News

Roma will be keeping a close eye on Emil Forsberg’s performances in Russia. The Serie A club is rumoured to be interested in making a transfer bid to RB Leipzig for the 26-year-old’s services.

Sweden Betting Predictions

Sweden are disciplined and hard-working, so World Cup bettors shouldn’t expect the more-talented sides in the Group to run up the score on them. Expect low scoring affairs for their matches against Mexico and South Korea. Germany could embarrass them if the mood strikes the defending champions.

Look to bet the under in Sweden’s matches and take a flier on them to draw against Mexico.