Neffati in line to face Sweden in World Cup opener

A familiar face in Tunisia's defense

Sweden open their World Cup campaign against Tunisia, and one man in the Tunisian squad knows Swedish football inside out. Defender Moutaz Neffati, who played for IFK Göteborg's academy and Swedish clubs like Östersund and Dalkurd, is in line for his World Cup debut – against the country where he grew up playing. "Of course it's special," Neffati said ahead of the match. (2)

Sweden shut the doors on Monday

The national team closed Monday's training session to the public after Sunday's open practice. Press chief Petra Thorén confirmed it was a decision made for "sports-based reasons", with no further details given. No injury concerns have been flagged publicly, and the move appears tactical as Graham Potter finalizes his plans for the opening match.

Stroud honest after debut

Elliot Stroud made his senior debut for Sweden in the final warm-up match against Greece but wasn't satisfied with his own performance. The young defender admitted he has more to give after an uncertain injury period and is pushing hard for more minutes.

Potter backs Gyokeres

Graham Potter has publicly defended Viktor Gyokeres after the Arsenal striker faced questions about his goal output. Potter insists Gyokeres had a brilliant season and was instrumental in winning the Premier League, even if some fans wanted more goals. Sweden's attacking setup will lean heavily on him in Dallas.