Midfielder Mattias Svanberg has been called up to the Swedish men's national football team after over a year's absence. New head coach Graham Potter selected him directly, and Svanberg describes it as a relief. Meanwhile, Ken Sema reunites with his former coach Potter in the squad.
Sweden's men's national football team has gathered in Marbella, Spain, ahead of World Cup qualifiers against Switzerland on Saturday and Slovenia on Tuesday. The team has likely secured a playoff spot through their victory in Nations League C-division.
Mattias Svanberg, who plays for Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga, has not been with the national team since September 2024. He was dropped by former head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson due to performances or unavailability, but the dialogue was open and fair. With Potter's appointment, Svanberg felt his chances improved. This season, he has been a regular at Wolfsburg with two goals and one assist in nine matches.
"I feel that I can contribute with my qualities and of course want to be here. It was a relief when the call came", Svanberg tells SVT Sport. He has scored two goals in 34 caps, with a debut goal and assist against the Faroe Islands in November 2019.
Watching the poor World Cup qualification from the sidelines has been tough. "Even if you haven't been involved, you still feel a sense of belonging with the guys. You feel a bit like part of the team and want to be part of the team", he adds.
In the squad, Ken Sema also reunites with Graham Potter, who signed him to Östersund nearly ten years ago. There, they won the Swedish Cup, qualified for the Europa League, and beat Arsenal away. "It is very big. You can dream big and if you do the right things you can go really far", Sema says. He believes Sweden can reach the World Cup regardless of the squad.
Sema praises Potter: "Him to thank for a lot" and believes the collaboration can be really good.
