Isak and Gyokeres In, Kulusevski Shattered — Sweden’s World Cup Squad Drops a Brutal Fitness Verdict

Isak and Gyokeres named in Sweden World Cup squad but the real story is who got left behind and why it stings so badly.

Dejan Kulusevski is out. The Tottenham forward has not played a single minute this season. A knee injury stole everything. Graham Potter had to look at a 26-year-old who carried Sweden through dark moments and tell him he was not going to the World Cup. Potter called it a very very difficult decision. He talked about where Kulusevski has been and what he has done over the last year. Then he pointed to the rehab timeline. Four and a half weeks to the first game. Not enough. The door closed.

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Alexander Isak made it. Barely. The Liverpool forward has started just eight league matches since his record £125 million move from Newcastle. Injuries chewed up his season too. Potter admitted the challenge is getting Isak to peak form in time. If they can, he said, Isak is world-class. That is a big if. Sweden are gambling on a man who has barely played.

Viktor Gyokeres is the safer bet. The Arsenal striker has been consistent. He will carry the attack while Isak finds his legs. Eleven British-based players fill the squad. Viktor Johansson from Stoke. Jacob Widell Zetterstrom from Derby. Hjalmar Ekdal from Burnley. Victor Lindelof from Aston Villa. Yasin Ayari from Brighton. Lucas Bergvall from Tottenham. Anthony Elanga from Newcastle. Benjamin Nygren from Celtic. The Swedish presence in English Football is everywhere.

Sweden barely made it here. Their qualifying campaign was miserable. Bottom of the group with two points. Two points. They were dead and buried until the Nations League threw them a rope. Wins over Ukraine and Poland in the playoffs dragged them to the finals. Now they face Tunisia, the Netherlands, and Japan in Group F. The first game is in Monterrey. Then Houston. Then Dallas.

Potter called it an incredible honor. He said the supporters have been fantastic. The fairytale of qualifying against the odds is real. But the squad is held together by hope and fitness prayers. Isak needs to rediscover his legs. Gyokeres needs to carry the load. Kulusevski will watch from home wondering what could have been.