‌Alexander Isak has struggled with injury this past season, but Sweden coach Graham Potter expects him to be able to deliver by the time the World Cup gets underway. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Sweden coach Graham Potter announced his FIFA World Cup 2026 squad on Tuesday, but there was no place for Tottenham Hotspur forward Dejan Kulusevski, ⁠who has been out of the game for a year with a knee injury and has not recovered in time for the tournament.

There were no surprises in Potter’s 26-man squad, but ‌many observers expected the 26-year-old Kulusevski to be included if there was any chance he could play a part, but the coach closed the ‌door on what would have amounted to a miracle return.

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“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.

Sweden squad for FIFA World Cup 2026

Kulusevski’s fellow forward ‌Alexander Isak has also struggled with injury this past season, but the ​coach expects him to be able to deliver by the time the tournament gets underway.

Sweden endured a miserable qualifying campaign, finishing bottom of its group with two points, but its performance in UEFA Nations League Group C gave it a path through the playoffs, where it beat Ukraine and Poland to secure its spot at the finals.

Published on May 12, 2026