Euro 2020 will go down in the annuls of Sweden’s footballing history as another case of what might have been.
It had looked likely that they would take Ukraine to the lottery of a penalty shootout during their round of 16 clash at Hampden Park, only for the footballing gods to decide that we were not worthy of another night of real fun.
Instead, Tuesday at the Euros will be remembered as the day that England finally downed Germany in the knockout phase of a major tournament for the first time in 55 years, and the day that Artem Dovbyk stooped to head home a dramatic stoppage time winner for Andriy Shevchenko and his Ukrainian charges – ending Sweden’s participation in the tournament when their half of the draw had really opened up favourably.
There is, however, one Swede who will quite rightly look back at the tournament fondly; 21-year-old striker Alexander Isak.
Already talked about in some corners as one of the most promising strikers in Europe, Isak leaves Euro 2020 having burst into mainstream headlines across the continent after a series of outstanding individual performances.
Isak’s been so good that not only is his name creeping up in transfer gossip columns here, there and everywhere, he’s being linked with European football’s real top brass. Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United, just four of his alleged suitors.
He kicked off his Euro 2020 campaign with a starring role in Sweden’s admittedly turgid 0-0 draw with Spain. Played on a rather ropey pitch to say the least, Isak took the game by the scruff of the neck and showed everyone watching on that his country need not ever pine for the return of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Brilliant with his movement, Isak showed off tremendously fast feet, a fantastic eye for a pass (when he released Marcus Berg in behind with a perfectly weighted ball) and the blistering pace that has tormented La Liga defences during his 17-goal season with Real Sociedad.
He then followed up that display with another star performance in the somehow even more turgid 1-0 win over Slovakia. This time, it was a fantastic individual run from Isak that caught the eye. Bursting forward from inside his own half, Sweden’s star of the future twisted, turned and wriggled away from four challenges, showing tremendous agility and guile to drop his shoulder and turn on a sixpence.
His effort on goal wasn’t too bad, either, and his piledriving low effort was only kept out by a brilliant sprawling save from Martin Dubravka in Slovakia’s goal.
But individual moments of brilliance aside, the thing that has been so impressive about Isak is his willingness to play his natural game while shouldering the responsibility to make things happen. He’s playing in a Sweden side that aren’t the most flamboyant and, truth be told, don’t have the players capable of unlocking his potential. That isn’t an issue, though, he’s already capable of being handed the keys in order to lead the attack.
That confidence and that ability to standout in some meaningful way is what makes Isak a special talent, for now and in the future. Sweden have a real gem on their hands, and it won’t be long before Real Sociedad – if they haven’t already – take their phone off the hook to bat away his plethora of admirers.