Sweden
Coach: Graham Potter
Starting XI Prediction
Star Players
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Fixtures
Group F
Group F
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Netherlands | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 4 | +6 | 7 |
| 2 |  Japan | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 5 |
| 3 | Sweden | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 |  Tunisia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 12 | -10 | 0 |
Full Squad Players List
| # | Player | Pos | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | |||
| 1 | Jacob Widell Zetterstrom Derby County FC | GK | |
| 12 | Viktor JohanssonXI Stoke City FC | GK | |
| 23 | Kristoffer Nordfeldt AIK Stockholm | GK | |
| Defenders | |||
| 2 | Gustaf LagerbielkeXI SC Braga | DEF | |
| 3 | Victor LindelöfXI Aston Villa FC | DEF | |
| 4 | Isak HienXI Atalanta Bergamo | DEF | |
| 5 | Gabriel GudmundssonXI Leeds United FC | DEF | |
| 6 | Herman Johansson FC Dallas | DEF | |
| 8 | Daniel Svensson Borussia Dortmund | DEF | |
| 14 | Hjalmar Ekdal Burnley FC | DEF | |
| 15 | Carl Starfelt RC Celta Vigo | DEF | |
| 20 | Erik Smith FC St. Pauli | DEF | |
| 21 | Alexander Bernhardsson Holstein Kiel | DEF | |
| 24 | Elliot Stroud Mjällby AIF | DEF | |
| Midfielders | |||
| 7 | Lucas BergvallXI Tottenham Hotspur FC | MID | |
| 10 | Benjamin Nygren Celtic FC | MID | |
| 13 | Ken SemaXI Pafos FC | MID | |
| 16 | Jesper Karlström Udinese | MID | |
| 18 | Yasin AyariXI Brighton & Hove Albion FC | MID | |
| 19 | Mattias SvanbergXI VfL Wolfsburg | MID | |
| 22 | Besfort Zeneli Royale Union Saint-Gilloise | MID | |
| Forwards | |||
| 9 | Alexander IsakXI Liverpool FC | FWD | |
| 11 | Anthony ElangaXI Newcastle United FC | FWD | |
| 17 | Viktor Gyökeres Arsenal FC | FWD | |
| 25 | Gustaf Nilsson Club Brugge | FWD | |
| 26 | Taha Ali Malmö FF | FWD | |
World Cup History
—
Titles
12
Appearances
74
WC Goals
26
Wins
Best finish: Runners-up (1958)
Top scorer: Sven Rydell (8 goals)
Most capped: Andreas Isaksson (12 matches)
Record: 26W – 10D – 22L
Sweden are one of Europe's most consistent World Cup participants with 12 appearances, including as runners-up in 1958 and third-place finishes in 1950 and 1994. Producing legends like Zlatan Ibrahimović — who lit up WC 2006 and 2018 before retirement — and Alexander Isak today, Sweden have always punched above their weight with disciplined, organised football.
Tournament Eras
The Early Giants — 1938 to 1958
1938–1958Sweden's golden era came in the 1950s. They placed third in Brazil 1950, knocking out Uruguay in the group stage. As hosts in 1958 they reached the final — losing 5-2 to a brilliant Brazilian team featuring a 17-year-old Pelé. Gunnar Gren, Gunnar Nordahl, and Nils Liedholm (the 'Gre-No-Li' trio) were among Europe's finest players.
The 1994 Third Place — The Dahlin Generation
1990–1994Sweden's most successful modern campaign came in USA 1994. Under Tommy Svensson, they reached the third-place match and won it — beating Bulgaria 4-0 with Tomas Brolin, Martin Dahlin, and Henrik Larsson emerging as top-quality European players. Kennet Andersson's header in the semi-final against Brazil remains iconic.
The Zlatan Era
2002–2018Zlatan Ibrahimović defined Swedish football for 15 years, but never truly dominated at a World Cup. His best performances came in 2006 (tournament top-scorer contention) and 2018 — though controversially he didn't feature in the 2018 squad after a dispute with the federation. Sweden reached the quarter-finals in 2018 without him.
Iconic Moments
The 1958 Final — Pelé's Coming-of-Age
Sweden hosted the final and led Brazil 1-0 — before a 17-year-old Pelé scored twice and set up another, winning 5-2. Sweden's loss was dignified; the home crowd applauded both teams at the final whistle. The match remains one of the most celebrated finals in World Cup history.
1994 — Third Place in the USA
Sweden beat Bulgaria 4-0 to take third place at the 1994 World Cup — their best finish in 36 years. Brolin, Dahlin, and Larsson were acclaimed across Europe, laying the foundation for a generation of Swedish exports to top clubs.