Hilmersson: “I do not begrudge Lindahl a hero role” – Göteborgs-Posten

No one in the Swedish World Cup squad has received more criticism, bullshit and unreasonable hatred than Hedvig Lindahl through the years.

As I begrudge her to get a hero’s role this time.

I was, in some strange way, my very own little chat with Lindahl after the US game. Her eyes, which we sometimes seen staring closest to panic, shone with joy. She knew she made a 100 percent effort against the world’s best team, she helped Sweden to take that important point, and she enjoyed it.

I understand her. For the Lindahl has gone through had few people dried with.

In a hyper interesting interview with the magazine Offside before the World Cup told Lindahl frank about the heavy moments in his career. And they have been really heavy. World Cup 2007 World Cup 2011. Olympic Games in 2012. All have one thing in common: Hedvig Lindahl has been blamed when Sweden has gone out.

And yes, she is made mistakes. Big mistake, in the big matches. The criticism has been justified. But there have been more than criticism, it has been bullying and indeed pure hatred of a woman who did everything to become the best in the world in their sport.

“The whole time was a dark” says Lindahl interview and referring to when it was at its worst, after the World Cup semifinals in 2011 when her mistake caused two of Japan’s three goals in Sweden.

The hatred continued after the 2012 Olympics, then Lindahl again underperformed. She was depressed, fell ill – and to top it all, she tore a ligament.

There and then had enough, most of us throw in the towel. But two and a half years later I stand by and see her wide, childlike smile in the mixed zone and it is impossible not to feel anything

before it. I asked her when the last felt so good in the national team and then she just laughed. She does not remember it.

But both Lindahl and Pia Sundhage – and everyone else in the Swedish squad know that almost-feat against the United States is not worth anything if it is not followed by an equally good effort against Australia.

This beautiful, fit skilled, young, nasty bugger Australia. When I saw them dismiss Nigeria (2-0) was the spontaneous idea that they play just like Sweden wants to play. With a single, organized teams and a flowing, covering ground passes. This will never go, I thought, but then made the Sweden almost exactly the same thing against the USA and suddenly feels Tuesday ödesmatch completely open again.

Then Lindahl be as good again. And Sjögran feel free to be as sensational brilliant as she was against the United States. And then of course, Sweden is still a savings, a factor that has not yet really blossomed.

Lotta Schelin is a world forward. It is time to show it.

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Plus: Greenery! After a week in the dry, brown Manitoba, I was met by grass and green forests in the region around Edmonton. Lovely.

Cons: crown. Yes, 158 centimes long Meghan Klingberg’s words. It should not have been able to reach up to Seger shot.