Viktor Gyokeres of Arsenal has suffered a setback in his hopes of playing for Sweden at the next World Cup. The squad now sits at the bottom of qualifying group B, with only one path left to guarantee their spot in North America for the upcoming summer.
The team lost to Switzerland 4-1 on Saturday night under the direction of former Brighton and Chelsea boss Graham Potter for the first time. They now only have one point from their first nine games.
The squad will play Slovenia in their last qualifying game on Tuesday. But after losing to Switzerland, Sweden knows going into this match that they will not be able to guarantee either the second play-off slot or the top automatic qualifying spot.
However, there is still optimism that the country will compete in the summer competition. Under former manager Jon Dahl Tomasson, Sweden won promotion in the UEFA Nations League, which is how they can guarantee their place.
Arsenal Injury Crisis Worsens
Gabriel Magalhães and Riccardo Calafiori both suffered injuries while playing for Brazil and Italy, respectively; therefore, Arsenal is concerned about their health. Before Italy’s crucial 2026 World Cup qualifier against Norway on Saturday, 23-year-old Calafiori departed the squad’s camp; nevertheless, national team manager Gennaro Gattuso did not reveal the reason for his problem.
Due to an injury sustained during the international break, forward Viktor Gyokeres is now out of action. Since moving in the summer, he has had success. The 27-year-old has scored two goals in the Champions League and four goals in ten Premier League games.
Arsenal will be hoping he is well enough to return following the international break. Next Sunday at the Emirates Stadium, the Gunners will play Tottenham in the North London Derby. For Gyokeres, who hopes to represent his country on the largest football platform in the world, Sweden’s failure to qualify for this summer’s World Cup would be a personal blow.
