Isak-Gyökeres pairing still a work in progress for Sweden at 2026 World Cup | OneFootball

Sweden’s push for the last 32, with Japan to come on Friday at 1am, rests in part on Arsenal’s Viktor Gyökeres and Liverpool’s Alexander Isak, together for the first time at a major finals. The strike pair have generally looked in tune.

L'Équipe notes they arrived here off complicated club campaigns after headline 2025 moves, Gyökeres from Sporting to Arsenal for about €70m, Isak from Newcastle to Liverpool for a club record €145m. Gyökeres scored 21 in 55 for the Gunners but did not always convince. Isak’s pre-season stand-off with Newcastle and a late-December fibula fracture limited him to 4 in 22, he returned in April, too late to lift a poor Reds campaign.

Injuries have often limited their starts together, only 11 before mid-June. They dismantled Tunisia 5-1 on 15 June, each assisting the other. Their 16th outing together followed in the 1-5 loss to the Netherlands on Saturday, when the more unpredictable Isak took the initiative and set up Anthony Elanga, while Gyökeres found it harder to influence.

With Isak absent, Gyökeres led Sweden through March’s play-offs via the Nations League route, beating Ukraine 3-1 then Poland 3-2. He scored four of Sweden’s six goals across those ties.

Post-Ibrahimovic, and after the Marcus Berg-Ola Toivonen pairing at the 2018 World Cup, Isak became a starter at Euro 2021, when Sweden reached the last 16. Gyökeres bedded in during 2022 as the national side missed Qatar 2022 and Euro 2024. Both rose after early setbacks, Isak leaving Borussia Dortmund via the Eredivisie and Real Sociedad, Gyökeres leaving Brighton to climb through the Championship then Sporting.

Former Sweden striker Johan Elmander believes the duo are growing in sync, adding that Japan could suit them. He feels Sweden’s attacking play looks fine, but keeping the ball and defensive security are concerns, as the Netherlands game showed.

Head coach Graham Potter has decisions to weigh, yet Gyökeres and Isak appear more complementary than competing, and determined to tilt Sweden’s campaign the right way.

Source: L'Équipe