NEW YORK
Sweden manager Graham Potter is calling for his team’s greatest performance yet as they prepare to face France in a high-stakes round-of-32 showdown. The match is set at the New York-New Jersey stadium, marking a pivotal moment for the Swedish squad.
Sweden reached this stage as one of the best third-placed finishers. Their group stage was a rollercoaster, starting with a dominant 5-1 win against Tunisia, followed by a tough 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands, and finally a 1-1 draw with Japan. Now, they must find stability to overcome the two-time world champions.
“Against top teams, you have to get the balance right,” Potter explained at a press conference. He emphasized that facing a star-studded French lineup, headlined by Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, is a massive challenge. However, he wants his players to view this as a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to prove themselves on the global stage.
Defender Victor Lindelof echoed his coach’s confidence. He stated that the team is not just in New York to participate, they are there to fight for a result. “Our World Cup adventure is at stake, and we don’t want it to end,” he noted.
Assistant coach Sebastian Larsson acknowledged France’s immense skill but insisted the squad is ready to tackle the challenge head-on. Sweden hasn’t beaten France since 2017, but the team believes that with the right focus and intensity, they can pull off a historic upset.
