king
1 Ronnie Hellström
knight
2 Hasse Borg
pawn
3 Roy Andersson
pawn
4 Björn Nordqvist
knight
5 Ingemar Erlandsson
bishop
8 Bo Larsson
rook
9 Lennart Larsson
rook
7 Anders Linderoth
bishop
6 Staffan Tapper
queen
10 Thomas Sjöberg
queen
11 Benny Wendt
4-4-2
4-4-2
4-3-3
4-2-3-1
4-1-4-1
4-5-1
4-3-2-1
3-5-2
3-4-3
5-3-2
5-4-1
Piece
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World Cup 1978

Sweden

Group Stage

Sweden returned to the World Cup in 1978, looking to improve on their 1974 knockout-round exit. Under Georg Ericson, they were ready to write the next chapter.

0
Played
0
Wins
0
Goals
0
Win Rate
Latest News
Spain Beats Sweden 1-0 in Group Stage Match
The 1978 FIFA World Cup saw Spain secure a commanding victory over Sweden in a crucial group stage encounter. Jan 10, 2026
Group 3
TeamMPWDL GFGAGDPts
1
Austria
3 2 0 1 3 2 1 6
2
Brazil
3 1 2 0 2 1 1 5
3
Spain
3 1 1 1 2 2 0 4
4
Sweden
3 0 1 2 1 3 -2 1
The Campaign

World Cup 1978

Sweden's campaign never truly ignited, and a group stage exit brought an early end to their World Cup hopes. Goals proved hard to come by, with just 1 in 3 matches, and their lack of firepower ultimately told.

The Defining Moment

Sweden 1978

Sweden endured a difficult group stage, unable to advance despite moments of resistance. Their campaign featured a 1-1 draw with Brazil, a narrow 0-1 loss to Austria, and a narrow 0-1 loss to Spain. Sweden's tournament ended at the first round, a campaign that never truly got going.

1978 campaign
0 matches played

1drawn2lost

1scored3conceded

Winless throughout failed to score in 2 of 3 matches.

Top Scorer

Thomas Sjöberg

0 goal
10Forward

Thomas Sjöberg led Sweden's attack with 1 goal at the 1978 World Cup.

Head Coach

Georg Ericson

Sweden · 1974 – 1978

The tactical mind behind Sweden's 1978 campaign. At the helm since the 1974 World Cup winless under Ericson.

Playing Style

Swedish Struggles

Tactical identity · 1978

Sweden's 22-man squad was unable to overcome their inconsistent form, which ultimately led to their elimination. Georg Ericson's tactics seemed to be stuck in neutral as they struggled against stronger opponents like Austria and Spain.

Goalkeepers

1
Ronnie Hellström
3GAMES
GK
12
Göran Hagberg
GK
16
Conny Torstensson
1GAME
GK
17
Jan Möller
GK

Defenders

2
Hasse Borg
3GAMES
LB
3
Roy Andersson
3GAMES
CB
4
Björn Nordqvist
3GAMES
CB
5
Ingemar Erlandsson
3GAMES
RB
13
Magnus Andersson
CB
19
Kent Karlsson
CB
20
Roland Andersson
CB

Midfielders

6
Staffan Tapper
2GAMES
RM
7
Anders Linderoth
3GAMES
CM
8
Bo Larsson
3GAMES
LM
9
Lennart Larsson
3GAMES
CM
14
Ronald Åhman
CM
18
Olle Nordin
1GAME
CM

Forwards

10
Thomas Sjöberg
3GAMES1GOAL
LW
11
Benny Wendt
3GAMES
RW
15
Torbjörn Nilsson
1GAME
CF
21
Sanny Åslund
CF
22
Ralf Edström
3GAMES
CF
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