After Zlatan — Isak's Moment

Zlatan Ibrahimović retired from international football in 2016 after Euro 2016, then made a brief comeback in 2022. He is definitively not involved in this tournament. The era is over. What Sweden needs now is a player who can carry the burden of expectation in the way Zlatan did for two decades — and Alexander Isak, 26 and coming off two elite Premier League seasons at Newcastle United, is the answer.

Isak is physically imposing, technically excellent, and capable of goals from positions and angles that defenders don't expect. He is not Zlatan — nobody is Zlatan — but he gives Sweden a number nine who can compete at the highest level. With Dejan Kulusevski providing creativity from the right, and a solid defensive structure under Jon Dahl Tomasson, Sweden are capable of surprising teams in Group F.

Group F — Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia

Group F is genuinely open. Netherlands are the favorites but Japan beat Germany and Spain in 2022. Sweden and Tunisia both have the quality to take points from anyone. The Swedish-American community in New York — centered around the American-Scandinavian Foundation and Midtown cultural organizations — will be watching every match. The city's general Scandinavian community (shared with Norwegian fans in Bay Ridge) adds to the watching culture.

Goalkeepers

• Robin Olsen — Aston Villa
• Samuel Brolin — IFK Göteborg
• Kristoffer Nordfeldt — TBC

Squad confirmed by head coach Graham Potter on May 12, 2026. Note: Emil Holm withdrew injured May 30 and was replaced by Herman Johansson (FC Dallas).

Goalkeepers

• Viktor Johansson — Stoke City
• Jacob Widell Zetterström — Derby County
• Kristoffer Nordfeldt — AIK

Defenders

• Victor Lindelöf (C) — Aston Villa
• Isak Hien — Atalanta
• Carl Starfelt — Celta de Vigo
• Hjalmar Ekdal — Burnley
• Gabriel Gudmundsson — Leeds United
• Daniel Svensson — Borussia Dortmund
• Gustaf Lagerbielke — SC Braga
• Elliot Stroud — Mjällby AIF
• Herman Johansson — FC Dallas
• Eric Smith — FC St. Pauli

Midfielders

• Lucas Bergvall — Tottenham Hotspur
• Yasin Ayari — Brighton
• Mattias Svanberg — Wolfsburg
• Jesper Karlström — Udinese
• Besfort Zeneli — Union Saint-Gilloise

Forwards

• Viktor Gyökeres — Arsenal
• Alexander Isak — Liverpool
• Anthony Elanga — Newcastle United
• Gustaf Nilsson — Club Brugge
• Benjamin Nygren — Celtic
• Alexander Bernhardsson — Holstein Kiel
• Ken Sema — Pafos
• Taha Ali — Malmö