Leeds United defender Gabriel Gudmundsson has had one hell of a month. He played every minute of Sweden’s World Cup campaign. He marked Kylian Mbappe in the knockout round. And he became a dad while doing it from 4,000 miles away.
Sweden got bounced Tuesday night in New York, losing 3-0 to France. Mbappe and Bradley Barcola did the damage. It was a rough way to go out for a team that entered the tournament with real hope after winning Group F. But that hope evaporated fast once the knockout stage started.
Gudmundsson started all four matches, playing left wing-back in the first two games before sliding into a back three for the last two. The 27-year-old told Swedish outlet Dagens Nyheter the exit hit him hard at first.
“Just like my family back home, I had hoped for more — that we would continue this fantastic journey,” he said. “But the positive thing is that I can let this go pretty quickly now.”
What makes that possible is what’s waiting for him back in England. While Gudmundsson was in North America chasing a World Cup dream, his wife gave birth to their son. He followed the birth on video calls from across the Atlantic.
“It’s a dream for me to be here, and at the same time, something even bigger has happened in my private life back home,” he said. “I just want to give a big shout out to the wife at home, who has gone through this on her own. Of course I can’t wait to get home to her now.”
Club Future Hanging in the Balance
Gudmundsson’s personal life isn’t the only thing heating up. Reports last week said Chelsea had shown interest after his strong season under Daniel Farke at Elland Road. The left back made 35 appearances and helped Leeds finish 14th, with one particular performance against Chelsea drawing rave reviews. Fans online called it “phenomenal.”
The Sweden international didn’t want to talk about the transfer buzz when asked. But with three years left on his Leeds contract, it would take serious money to pry him loose. Chelsea already spent big on fullbacks last summer and might not want to go there again. Then again, Chelsea always seem to want to go there again.
For now, Gudmundsson is headed home to meet his son and decompress from a World Cup run that ended sooner than he wanted. Then he’ll figure out what’s next at Elland Road. Whatever happens, he’s already clear on what matters most right now.
He’s got a baby to hold.
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