Zigiotti Olme misses his close friend: "Part of myself disappears"

The football field at Bosön on Lidingö bathed in autumn sun.

When the national team gathered after a four-month hiatus, there were genuine smiles among the players.

At the same time, the situation is tough - for several reasons.

After a failed World Cup qualifier last spring, where Sweden only came third in its group, an uncertain playoff game awaits this autumn for a World Cup ticket to 2027.

In addition, several tone-setting players are still missing in a national team that is in the middle of a generational change.

Midfielder Nathalie Björn is certainly back and will last at least half a game in Friday's away meeting with Lithuania, says national team captain Tony Gustavsson.

But he is still missing the leading figure Kosovare Asllani - and now also the stars Fridolina Rolfö (pregnant) and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (cruciate ligament injury).

- Johanna is one of my closest friends. I suffer an incredible amount with her and miss her every day, says Manchester United midfielder Julia Zigiotti Olme.

- It's like a part of yourself disappears.

It was this summer, not long after the transfer from Chelsea to Lyon, that the accident happened for the third time for Rytting Kaneryd.

- She is an incredibly important player for the national team and a leader both on and off the field, says Zigiotti Olme - who, however, is happy to see Björn back after nine months of injury absence.

Since Tony Gustavsson took over as national team captain a year ago, the Swedish women's national team has only won two out of ten international matches, and has been heavily criticized.

94th-ranked Lithuania, which now awaits in a double meeting, should not normally be a tough task for world number eight Sweden, but ahead of the meeting Gustavsson has admitted that they go through too many changes - in too short a time.

Do you agree?

- I think our performances have been mixed. We have done some things very well and some things worse, says Julia Zigiotti Olme.

- It is clear that there have been many changes. Very new "staff", new players. But I think we should be able to do better regardless.

- Now we have talked about having these two matches. We have to win.

In the absence of Kosovare Asllani, Frankfurt defender Amanda Ilestedt is the player who has been with the national team the longest.

She agrees with the confederation captain's analysis.

- I also think it is important to reflect and analyse, says Ilestedt.

- It is a natural part of football, to look in the mirror and see "how do we move forward?". And that's where we are now.

Read more:

Kim Källström: "Now you see character in players and leaders"