Liverpool No.9 Alexander Isak has been named in Sweden’s confirmed squad for the 2026 World Cup this summer as the tournament heads to the USA, Mexico and Canada.
Alexander Isak has become quite the enigma since joining Liverpool last summer for a club record fee of £125 million. Brought in to fire the Reds to the top of the Premier League and possibly Champions League success, it hasn’t gone that way.
Despite a grueling season marred by a broken leg suffered during December’s 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool’s Alexander Isak has defied the odds to secure his place in Sweden’s 2026 World Cup squad.
The Reds’ No.9, who found the net against Spurs before being sidelined for several months, has completed a remarkable recovery just in time for the tournament in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
Isak’s inclusion comes as a major boost for both club and country, proving his fitness after a lengthy battle with injury issues that threatened to derail his summer plans.
There have been glimpses of his potential in Arne Slot’s team with goals against West Ham and Brighton, though they have been few and far between. Isak would like to write about the wrongs of his challenging debut campaign on Merseyside, and that opportunity presents itself this summer at the World Cup.
Liverpool have confirmed that their record transfer has been selected by Graham Potter ahead of the summer tournament, where they take on Tunisia, the Netherlands and Japan in Group F in just over a month’s time.
To some, this presents itself as a shock, with his limited minutes over the past 12 months, especially when the Reds need him to deliver next season with current talisman Mohamed Salah departing in just two weeks.
Kopites are certainly growing frustrated with how developments are going at the club, with the Swede’s issues adding more fuel to the fire, but this is a chance to add much-needed confidence.
He missed his country’s World Cup Qualification playoff matches with Ukraine and Poland back in March due to the injury he sustained at Tottenham. In those two games, Viktor Gyokeres scored four goals with a hat trick in their 3-1 win over Ukraine and a last-gasp winner in their 3-2 victory over Poland.
With the Englishman opting for just a solo forward in those two games, fans will be keen to see whether he sticks or twists with the current setup once Isak is added back into the squad.
His last game came from the bench last weekend in Slot’s sides 1-1 draw with Chelsea, and with just two games left of the Premier League campaign, he is yet to register a single full 90 minutes.
The games against Aston Villa (A) and Brentford (H) provide him with an opportunity to end the season on a high and show exactly why he is the man the club believed could carry the burden of the new era.
Liverpool’s attacking force to take shape
Under Jurgen Klopp, Kopites could always rely on the same figures when it came to getting the goals. Salah and fellow African teammate, Sadio Mane, were constantly in attack around the penalty area, whilst Roberto Firmino was either setting them up or finding the back of the net himself.
In the last two seasons, it has been difficult to see who the goal getter is in the squad outside the Egyptian King. Hugo Ekitike played his part, but his Achilles injury a significant blow as he is set for a spell on the sidelines following an injury sustained during the Reds 2-0 Champions League quarter-final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
The forward was forced off during the April clash at Anfield, and the injury is expected to rule him out for “some time,” leaving a void in the Liverpool attack as they navigate the final stages of the season. It adds to a growing list of fitness concerns for the club, though the Reds will be hoping for a swift recovery for the Frenchman.
The Swede has shown his capabilities in front of goal for Newcastle in the past, with 44 league goals in his final two seasons at St James’ Park, though it seems the team is very much being built with him in mind.
One of the major criticisms that Florian Wirtz has faced this year has been his eye is always looking for a pass, even when taking a shot may be the better decision. Rio Ngumoha does have wonderful striking ability, though his creative genius is what makes the fans inside Anfield stand still when he collects the ball.
Liverpool’s two options for either side of their striker have been Bradley Barcola and Yan Diomande. Combined, they have scored 22 goals in their leagues this season, but when compared to the numbers Mane and Salah were supplying, they are far away from that target.
On paper, it looks like Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes are looking for the creative DNA to unlock Isak. This was highlighted this past weekend, only touching the ball seven times in his 30-minute cameo against the Blues.
The World Cup offers the chance to rediscover his form, and it’s needed in a season set to set the tempo at Anfield in this new era, which needs to succeed for the club to be back amongst the best teams in the world.
