Efter a long Premier League season, there was one match left for national team star Dejan Kulusevski with his club team Tottenham.
A friendly match – in Australia.
Dejan Kulusevski enjoys the summer heat at home in Sweden when the national team begins training in Malmö ahead of friendly matches against Denmark in Copenhagen and Serbia at Friends Arena in Solna.
Spring has been especially special for the 24-year-old and his partner. At the end of April, the couple became parents to a daughter.
Semester is around the corner and will be spent in Stockholm.
He comes from a strong season in the Premier League, but Tottenham had to settle for fifth place and play in the Europa League in the fall.
What has gotten better?
It became eight goals and two assists in 36 league matches for Kulusevski, who has received the Golden Ball, the prize for the best male player in Sweden, for the past two seasons.
Kulusevski scored two goals in the league finale against Sheffield United on May 19 – three days later, he was in Australia. There, Tottenham faced national team teammate Alexander Isak's Newcastle in a friendly match.
By then, Kulusevski had almost 50 competitive matches under his belt with Tottenham and the national team, counting from mid-August 2023.
Despite the intense schedule and a baby at home, Kulusevski joined the national team's training camp in the Stockholm area last week.
Sweden's squad for the matches against Denmark and Serbia:
Goalkeepers: Robin Olsen, Aston Villa, Viktor Johansson, Stoke, Kristoffer Nordfeldt, AIK.
Defenders: Victor Nilsson Lindelöf, Manchester United, Ludwig Augustinsson, Anderlecht, Samuel Dahl, Djurgården, Emil Krafth, Newcastle, Hjalmar Ekdal, Burnley, Isak Hien, Atalanta, Emil Holm, do, Carl Starfelt, Celta Vigo, Daniel Svensson, Nordsjælland.
Midfielders and forwards: Jens Cajuste, Napoli, Emil Forsberg, NY Red Bulls, Samuel Gustafson, Urawa Red Diamonds, Alexander Isak, Newcastle, Simon Olsson, Heerenveen, Dejan Kulusevski, Tottenham, Hugo Larsson, Eintracht Frankfurt, Matteo Pérez Vinlöf, Bayern München, Williot Swedberg, Celta Vigo, Yasin Ayari, Blackburn, Anton Salétros, AIK, Niclas Eliasson, AEK Aten, Sebastian Nanasi, Malmö FF, Gustaf Nilsson, Royale Union, Anthony Elanga, Nottingham.
The national team's matches in 2024 – under the leadership of new national team coach Jon Dahl Tomasson:
Training matches:
March 21: Portugal (away) 2–5.
March 24: Albania (home) 1–0.
June 5: Denmark (away).
June 8: Serbia (home).
Nations League, C-division:
September 5: Azerbaijan (away).
September 8: Estonia (home).
October 11: Slovakia (home).
October 14: Estonia (away).
November 16: Slovakia (home).
November 19: Azerbaijan (home).