Sweden head coach Peter Gerhardsson has faced heavy criticism over his decision to allow 18-year-old Smilla Holmberg to take the decisive penalty in their shootout defeat to England at Euro 2025.
Sarina Wiegman’s side completed a stunning comeback after going two goals down in the first half against Sweden to secure a place in the Euro 2025 semi final against Italy next Tuesday.
The Lionesses needed two late goals from Lucy Bronze and Michelle Agyemang to force extra time and also required a brilliant performance from goalkeeper Hannah Hampton to prevent an early exit from the tournament in Switzerland.
A dramatic penalty shootout saw only five of 14 attempts successfully converted, with Holmberg firing her effort high over the bar to send Sweden crashing out.
Holmberg, who only received her first senior call-up for Sweden last month and was appearing in her first international tournament, was in tears after her penalty miss and was consoled by her teammates during England’s post-match celebrations on the pitch.
Gerhardsson’s decision to allow the inexperienced 18-year-old defender to take a penalty in sudden death was heavily criticised during coverage of the game in Sweden.
‘My spontaneous thought when she walks forward is that you shouldn’t put that pressure on an 18-year-old,’ Sweden’s all-time record goalscorer, Lotta Schelin, told SVT.
‘If she ends up in this position, it will break her. It feels incredibly heavy and unfair.’
Celtic head coach, Elena Sadiku, added: ‘You suffer with Smilla. She should not bear any blame.
‘She is 18 years old and has done great. I think it is strange that she is taking this punishment.’
Gerhardsson, meanwhile, hit back at suggestions after the game that Holmberg should have not been put forward as one of Sweden’s penalty takers due to her lack of experience.
‘She is perhaps one of the best penalty takers in training,’ Gerhardsson said.
‘We had a discussion that she should be one of five. The players had a meeting where they said they wanted us to set up one to eleven. We did that as leaders. We took the ones we believed in the most.’
‘You can’t keep looking at age. You could ask the same question to several people and in the end you don’t have any other penalty takers. We have eleven and everyone has to be prepared to hit. Some of the more experienced ones were also replaced.
‘The players had a meeting where they said they wanted us to set up one to eleven. They wanted that order and then we listened to it. Sometimes you can listen around and ask, now it became easier when they wanted it that way. We took the ones we believed in the most.’
Arsenal’s Swedish striker Stina Blackstenius, who was substituted before the penalty shootout, said after the game: ‘She [Holmberg] should be given all the credit for her courage. All praise for that courage.’
Sweden forward Madelen Janogy also revealed what she told Holmberg after her miss.
‘I am incredibly proud of her and it says so much about her character. She is so incredibly strong and should only be celebrated,’ Janogy said.
‘I’m just trying to remind her that she’s so incredibly brave to take the punishment and that we’re doing it together.
‘Of course, there’s nothing I can say that will change how she feels now. It’s just about showing that we’re doing this together and that nothing is on her.’
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