Euro 2020 will end in the cancellation of Sweden’s football history as another case of what may have been.
It looked like they were going to take Ukraine to the lottery of a penalty shootout during their 16th round at Hampden Park, just so the football gods would decide we were not worth a night of real fun.
Instead, Tuesday at the Euro will be remembered as the day when England finally beat Germany in the knockout phase of a major tournament for the first time in 55 years, and the day when Artem Dovbyk leaned to lead home a dramatic stop-time winner for Andriy Shevchenko and his Ukrainian accusations – ending Sweden’s participation in the tournament when their half of the draw had really opened up positively.
However, there is a Swede who will rightly look back on the tournament; 21-year-old striker Alexander Isak.
Isak has already spoken in some corners as one of the most promising strikers in Europe and is leaving Euro 2020 after breaking into regular headlines across the continent after a series of outstanding individual performances.
Isak has been so good that his name not only creeps into transmission gossip columns here, there and everywhere, he is also connected to the real top brass of European football. Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United, just four of his alleged suitors.
He started his Euro 2020 campaign with a leading role in Sweden’s really tough 0-0 draw with Spain. Isak played at a fairly scratchy pitch, took the game by the neck and showed everyone who watched that his country does not have to lose for Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s return.
Brilliant with his movement, Isak showed extremely fast feet, a fantastic eye for a pass (when he released Marcus Berg behind with a perfectly weighted ball) and the blowing pace that has plagued La Liga defense during his 17-goal season with Real Sociedad.
He then followed up that screen with another star performance in the somehow even more difficult 1-0 victory against Slovakia. This time it was a fantastic individual drive from Isak that caught the eye. Sweden’s future star blew up from the inside from his own half, twisted and turned away from four challenges, which shows an enormous flexibility and betrayal to let go of the shoulder and put on a sex pen.
Alexander Isak hype is justified.
?????? ?? https://t.co/u7ZImmMdSU pic.twitter.com/IYNXm3y8Fs
– 90min (@ 90min_Football) June 18, 2021
His effort on goal was not so bad either, and his low effort was only due to a brilliant scattering save from Martin Dubravka in Slovakia’s goal.
But individual moments of brilliance aside, what has been so impressive about Isaac is his willingness to play his natural game while taking responsibility for making things happen. He plays in a Swedish side that is not the most flamboyant and, truth be told, does not have the players who can unleash their potential. However, it is not a problem, but he can already get the keys to lead the attack.
That self-confidence and the ability to stand out in some meaningful way is what makes Isak a special talent for now and in the future. Sweden has a real gem on their hands, and it will not be long before Real Sociedad – if they have not already done so – takes the phone off the hook to get rid of his abundance of admirers.
