Full Breakdown
Dejan Kulusevski’s Knee Injury Keeps Him Out of Sweden’s World Cup Squad
5/28/2026, 8:36:53 PM
Core Event
Swedish winger Dejan Kulusevski, 26, suffered a right-knee patella injury in May 2025 after a challenge from Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi. He underwent surgery and a clean-up procedure but has not played for a year, leading Sweden to omit him from the World Cup squad.
Background & Context
Medical assessments identified a cartilage lesion in the patella, an area under high stress. Such injuries are described as “troublesome” and difficult to treat, requiring extended rehab before the joint can tolerate elite football demands.
Key Figures & Groups
- Dejan Kulusevski – Tottenham forward
- Jonas Werner – Sweden national team doctor
- Graham Potter – Sweden head coach
- Tottenham medical team – overseeing rehabilitation
Data & Statistics
Age: 26. Injury: May 2025 patella. Absence: ~12 months. Procedures: surgery and clean-up. Status: no competitive minutes; rehab ongoing.
Official Statements & Responses
Sweden doctor Jonas Werner said the cartilage injury has not healed enough for international competition and that spring medical assessments indicated Kulusevski would miss the World Cup. He expressed optimism about eventual recovery but stressed ongoing rehab. Coach Graham Potter noted measurable progress in the player’s long rehabilitation and emphasized that the priority is readiness for the upcoming club season rather than the tournament.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
All sources agree on the injury’s severity and the player’s World Cup exclusion. No specific timeline for his return was given, leaving the exact date of his competitive comeback unclear.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It's been a long story with Dejan. He's done everything he can to get ready, but when it came to deciding [if he would make the squad] he wasn't,” — Jonas Werner, Sweden national team doctor
- “Cartilage injuries, like in Dejan's case, are troublesome. They are difficult to treat. Plus, he has it in a place that gets a lot of stress. The injury simply hasn't healed enough to handle that stress,” — Jonas Werner
- “I think we have to think about what is right for the team, that's important but also Dejan is in a place where he has had a long fight and he is making progress,” — Graham Potter, Sweden head coach
- “I think the aim for him would be to start the next season with Tottenham, hit the ground running and to get back on the pitch and do the thing he loves.” — Graham Potter
What’s Next
Kulusevski’s rehab will continue under Tottenham’s medical staff, with the goal of returning for the start of the next Premier League season for the upcoming season. He remains in continuous contact with Sweden’s national team doctor.
