In the early hours of Monday morning, Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Lucas Bergvall made a notable impact for Sweden in their match against Tunisia. The 20-year-old made his World Cup debut, having first earned his senior international cap in 2024. Despite having only nine previous appearances for his country, his 10th came on the sport’s biggest stage.
Sweden got off to a flying start under Graham Potter, with Brighton’s Yasin Ayari opening the scoring in the seventh minute. Ayari later added a second in the 96th minute, following goals from Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyökeres, and Mattias Svanberg, sealing a convincing 5–1 victory.
Although Bergvall didn’t score, his positive performance off the bench gave manager Roberto De Zerbi a clear glimpse of his potential. The Spurs youngster wasn’t in the starting lineup but made the most of his opportunity when called upon.
Potter brought him on for 25 minutes at Monterrey Stadium, and in that time, Bergvall recorded just 13 touches but made each one count, providing an assist for Ayari’s second goal. He won a tackle high up the pitch, dispossessing Ismaël Gharbi, before Ayari blasted home a stunning strike.
Bergvall’s work rate was essential to the play, and it was one of three defensive actions he took on the day. He also won two duels and completed 100% of his dribbles in Guadalupe. Having faced challenges at Tottenham, his World Cup performances could lead to more regular playing time.
With one match down, Sweden has made an ideal start to the summer tournament. They now face group stage tests against the Netherlands and Japan. These games offer Bergvall a platform to prove himself further and demonstrate to De Zerbi what he has been missing.
Under the Italian coach, Bergvall has made just one start for Spurs, totaling only 103 minutes of action—a meager amount for a player of his potential.
If he continues to shine on the international stage, he could force his way into becoming a regular starter for Tottenham moving forward.
