Marqués picks Sweden over Ecuador as World Cup group firms up

Marqués commits to Sweden

Djurgården defender Mikael Marqués has pledged his international future to Sweden, telling FotbollDirekt: "Min kärlek för Sverige är större, jag satsar på Sveriges landslag" (4). Ecuador's U21 side had made concrete contact with the 24-year-old, but Marqués has shut the door on any switch – his heart is with Blågult. A promising addition for Potter, who is building a squad with World Cup depth in mind.

Group F locked in

Sweden's World Cup group is set: Netherlands, Japan, and Tunisia in Group F (5). The Dutch are the headline opponent – a nation with perennial tournament pedigree but one that has consistently fallen short when it matters most. Japan bring tactical discipline, Tunisia physicality. Sweden's path through the group is clear: handle the Dutch, and you control your own destiny.

Gudmundsson situation unclear

There is noise around Gabriel Gudmundsson – reports mention him being isolated at the team hotel, but details are thin with no readable text to confirm the specifics (1). Keep an eye on this one as the World Cup approaches.