Dejan Kulusevski, the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, has been left out of Sweden’s final 26-man World Cup squad. The 26-year-old has been sidelined since suffering a serious knee injury during Tottenham’s 2-0 home loss to Crystal Palace in May 2025. He underwent two surgeries, with the most recent procedure in March aimed at “repairing” the issue. Kulusevski has yet to return to training at Tottenham’s facilities and is currently receiving rehabilitation treatment abroad.
Despite being out of competitive action for over a year, Kulusevski had publicly expressed his determination to represent Sweden at the upcoming World Cup. However, Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi admitted last week that it was hard for him to envision Kulusevski making an impact in his first-ever World Cup finals.
“I don’t know the specifics,” De Zerbi said. “For me, it’s difficult to understand how he could play in the World Cup if he hasn’t played a single match this season.”
Kulusevski’s World Cup hopes were already in doubt, and Sweden head coach Graham Potter has now confirmed that the former Juventus star was not included in the 26-man squad.
Other notable players on Sweden’s list include Arsenal’s Viktor Gyökeres, Liverpool striker Alexander Isak, and Kulusevski’s Tottenham teammate Lucas Bergvall. Additional Premier League representatives include Brighton’s Yasin Ayari, Aston Villa defender Victor Lindelöf, Leeds United full-back Gabriel Gudmundsson, and Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga.
Sweden will be based in Texas during the tournament, placed in Group F alongside Tunisia, the Netherlands, and Japan. They kick off their campaign against Tunisia on June 15 local time, face the Netherlands five days later, and finish the group stage against Japan.
