Sweden announce final squad for FIFA World Cup 2026 ft. Alexander Isak
Dejan Kulusevski has not been called up to the squad.
Graham Potter, the coach of Sweden, revealed his 2026 FIFA World Cup roster on Tuesday. However, Tottenham Hotspur forward Dejan Kulusevski, who has been out for a year due to a knee injury and has not healed in time for the competition, was not included.
Graham Potter reveals why Dejan Kulusevski was not included in the Sweden squad
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Potter’s 26-man roster for Sweden was unsurprising. Many observers anticipated that the 26-year-old Kulusevski would be included if he had any possibility of playing. The coach denied it, as it would have been a miraculous comeback.
“A very, very difficult decision in terms of where he (Kulusevski) has been, what he’s done over the last year, where he’s at in terms of his rehab with four and a half weeks to go to that first game,” Potter told a media conference.
“Once those games start, you’re not really in a place where you can start playing in big areas, spaces and then be able to work. So it’s very, very difficult to get up to where we need them to be, and so you have to make a very tough decision.”
Alexander Isak, Kulusevski’s national teammate, has also battled injuries this season. But the coach anticipates that he will be able to perform by the start of the competition.
Sweden announce official FIFA World Cup squad
Goalkeepers: Kristoffer Nordfeldt (AIK), Viktor Johansson (Stoke City), Jacob Widell Zetterström (Derby County)
Defenders: Daniel Svensson (Borussia Dortmund), Victor Lindelof (Aston Villa), Isak Hien (Atalanta), Carl Starfelt (Celta Vigo), Elliot Stroud (Mjallby AIF), Gustaf Lagerbielke (Braga), Gabriel Gudmundsson (Leeds United), Emil Holm (Juventus), Hjalmar Ekdal (Burnley), Erik Smith (St. Pauli)
Midfielders: Yasin Ayari (Brighton & Hove Albion), Lucas Bergvall (Tottenham Hotspur), Jesper Karlstrom (Udinese), Mattias Svanberg (VfL Wolfsburg), Besfort Zeneli (Royale Union Saint-Gilloise), Ken Sema (Pafos)
Forwards: Anthony Elanga (Newcastle United), Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal), Alexander Isak (Liverpool), Gustaf Nilsson (Club Brugge), Benjamin Nygren (Celtic), Taha Ali (Malmö FF), Alexander Bernhardsson (Holstein Kiel)
Which group are Sweden in?
They are in Group F.
When is their first World Cup game?
It’s on 15 June, 7:30 am IST.
Who is their first opponent?
Tunisia.
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