Frustration grows over Lucas Bergvall as Tottenham midfielder makes 'impossible' case

Lucas Bergvall is flying high for Tottenham but has not been let off the leash by Sweden yet (Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall will soon make it impossible for Sweden boss Jon Dahl Tomasson to bench him, reckons his long-time former coach.

The 19-year-old has made a huge impression at Spurs since joining in January 2024 and despite his age has already played 55 times for the Premier League club, contributing two goals and seven assists. After playing in a deeper role under Ange Postecoglou, Bergvall has been employed in a more attacking role by Thomas Frank and continues to be a regular under the Dane.

The teenager is seen as one of Sweden's big rising talents yet his international boss Tomasson appears yet to be convinced by his readiness despite his appearances in the Premier League, Champions League and last season's triumphant Europa League run to the final, which he missed in Bilbao through an ankle injury.

Bergvall has just four international caps for Sweden and has not played a single minute for his country since November last year. He was not named in the squad in March and then missed the June games with his ankle damage. While the young midfielder was called up for the World Cup qualifiers last month, he watched on unused as Sweden drew 2-2 in Slovenia and then lost 2-0 away against Kosovo.

Bergvall will now be hoping to get minutes as the under-fire Tomasson's Sweden welcome Switzerland on Friday evening before hosting Kosovo on Monday night.

His former coach at both Djurgarden and Brommapojkarna, Peter Kisfaludy is among those frustrated in his homeland at the lack of minutes for the teenager and told fotbolldirekt in an interview this week that it will soon become impossible for Bergvall to be left out of the starting XI.

"It is the national manager who decides, but I think many people, including me, feel that it will soon be impossible to keep Lucas out of the team any longer," said the coach, who has worked with Bergvall since he was a small child. "He should start now, considering how he is growing in both the Premier League and the Champions League and with such offensive qualities – he should only start in a Swedish national team.

"Look at what he does at a club that is at the top of the Premier League. You have to understand that he ran 12km in Tottenham's match with Villarreal and I don't think anyone else in our senior national team does that. The drive he has in his running... and he's just getting more and more powerful."

He added: "If there's something that Tottenham loves [about him], it's his transition game. He can play as both a number six and a number ten and can equally take on the defensive work. I'm convinced that his drive with the ball will eventually make him a high-level scorer for both club and national team."