Bernhardsson: “We will destroy it”
HOUSTON. Netherlands vs Sweden.
9.1 billion against SEK 4.7 billion.
– They have more pressure on them, says Gabriel Gudmundsson.
The Netherlands against Sweden is not only the clear group favorite who have been in at least the quarter-finals in three of the last four World Cups against the team that slipped into the World Cup on a banana peel and only participated in one of the last four tournaments.
It is also a Netherlands whose squad is valued almost twice as high as Sweden’s: 9.1 billion kroner against 4.7 billion, according to Transfermarkt.
The Netherlands have the seventh highest valued squad in the World Cup, however a good distance from France who are at the top at 16.7 billion, but just behind the brass (see list below).
Sweden? 15th in fact, ahead of nations like Uruguay, Croatia and Switzerland. But it is largely thanks to Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres, who condition a value of 930 and 710 million respectively according to Transfermarkt. But Isak’s market value has plummeted in the last six months according to Transfermarkt, from 1.5 billion to just over 900 million. Isak has 25 players ahead of him in the WC who are rated higher.
Norway is as high as ninth, but that is largely thanks to Erling Haaland, who tops the individual list together with Lamine Yamal, both worth close to SEK 2.2 billion.
“It can benefit us”
We asked Gabriel Gudmundsson before the match against the Netherlands if the squad value reflects the strength ratio between the teams.
– No, each match lives its own life. We have seen many matches where the team that is rated lower does better than the team that is rated higher, says the left-back.
But he is happy to put the pressure on the Netherlands, who only managed a draw against Japan in their opener.
– I think they have a bit more pressure on them. They need to chase a bit more and need a win more than us. It allows us to relax a little more and not have to hunt in the same way. It can benefit us to overcome the disadvantage.
He will be pitted against new Netherlands star Crysencio Summerville from West Ham.
– They have world-class players in every position in absolute top leagues and top teams, so it doesn’t matter who you get to meet on their edge, he says.
The Dutch are known to be a bit arrogant. Yasin Ayari plays with two of them in Brighton on a daily basis: goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen and centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke. He has of course spoken to them about this match.
– They know they are clear favourites. You have to give it to them. But it’s calm, says the midfielder.
But Ayari, unlike Gudmundsson, does not favor the Netherlands.
– I myself will not say that any other team are favourites. We believe in ourselves. From the outside, it is normal to say that they are favorites because they are higher ranked than us. But it doesn’t matter, we go in and believe in ourselves, he says.
World Cup team squad value top-20
Source: Transfermarkt.
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