Sweden’s Y19 team successfully defended their world championship title with a 6–2 victory over Finland in the final. With this result, the team also remained undefeated throughout the entire tournament, held in Sandviken from January 16–19. Despite a closely contested start, Sweden managed to pull away and secure a decisive win.
Algot Thuresson, team captain and the tournament’s MVP, was visibly emotional after the match.
How does it feel right after the match?
“An incredible relief. We’ve worked so hard for this, and I think we truly deserve the gold medal,” said Thuresson.
How would you rate your performance during the tournament?
“It’s been a bit up and down. But overall, I think we played solid games. A few lows but incredibly strong highs.”
The final was tight for a long time, but you pulled away in the end. Tell us about the match.
“It was incredibly tight. The Finns are really good. They’re dangerous when they counterattack, but in the end, it was our quality that made the difference.”
As captain and MVP, what does this mean to you?
“It’s an incredible honor, but this is a team effort, and I think everyone deserves to be MVP,” Thuresson concluded.
Head coach Daniel Skarps was also filled with relief and joy after the final victory.
How does it feel?
“An incredible relief, above all. We’ve played really well, but today was tough.”
What are your thoughts on the match?
“I think Finland defended incredibly well, and we struggled to score even when we created chances. When we made it 3–1, they had to open up and push forward, and at that point, it became clear that we were the better team. After that, the goals started coming.”
Undefeated throughout the tournament – what’s the secret to your success?
“Above all, we have an incredibly skilled group of players. The boys are at a really high level and have fully embraced our playing style. That allows us to play fast-paced and attractive bandy,” said Skarps.
A huge congratulations to Sweden’s U19 national team for a phenomenal performance and a well-deserved world championship title!
Watch the interviews below.
Scorers in the final:
Team Sweden:
24′ Algot Thuresson
33′ Rasmus Lundahl
75′ Philip Bergström
76′ Gustaf Nilsson
87′ Lukas Mattsson
91′ Alfred Malm
Team Finland: