On 15 June 2026, Sweden thrashed Tunisia 5–1 in their World Cup opener in Monterrey, with former Chelsea and West Ham manager Graham Potter orchestrating one of the tournament's standout performances. For UK football fans, the result was a reminder of a coach who was once strongly linked to the England job, only to see his reputation tumble after two bruising Premier League sackings.
Graham Potter, 51, is the head coach of Sweden's men's national team. He was appointed in October 2025 after a sabbatical following his dismissal from Chelsea, and later from West Ham. His Sweden side, featuring stars such as Liverpool's Alexander Isak and Arsenal's Viktor Gyökeres, demolished a Tunisia team that had not conceded a goal in qualifying. Potter was able to bring on Premier League quality substitutes including Spurs' Lucas Bergvall and Newcastle's Anthony Elanga.
“Why Graham Potter's Sweden team thrashing Tunisia in the World Cup matters for UK football fans.”
Potter built his reputation in Swedish club football, spending seven and a half years at Östersund and taking the club through the divisions. He then moved to Swansea and Brighton, where he impressed enough to land the Chelsea job in 2022. His spell at Stamford Bridge was brief and unsuccessful, and after being sacked he took a break. He then joined West Ham, where things went even worse, and his once-solid reputation appeared to crumble. However, the Swedish Football Association turned to him in October 2025, partly because of his deep familiarity with Swedish football. Initially, he could not stop Sweden finishing bottom of their qualifying group, but they reached the play-off path via their Nations League ranking and then defeated Ukraine and Poland to reach the World Cup. Impressed, the Swedish FA gave Potter a contract until 2030.
For UK readers, Potter's resurgence matters because less than two years ago he was the frontrunner to succeed Gareth Southgate as England manager after Southgate stepped down following Euro 2024. The Football Association ultimately chose a big-name foreign manager instead, passing over Potter. His strong start with Sweden raises the question of whether the FA made the right call. It also shows that a manager's reputation can survive even a disastrous spell at Chelsea. Many Premier League fans will follow Sweden's progress closely, given the number of players plying their trade in England.
Q: Why did Graham Potter leave Chelsea? Potter had a brief and unsuccessful spell at Chelsea, where he was sacked in 2023. He later endured an even less successful stint at West Ham, being sacked from there as well. He received £13 million in compensation from Chelsea and £5 million from West Ham.
Q: How did Sweden qualify for the 2026 World Cup? Under Potter, Sweden initially failed to qualify from their group. However, they earned a play-off spot through their Nations League ranking and then beat Ukraine and Poland to reach the finals in North America.
Q: What players does Sweden have? Key players include Alexander Isak (Liverpool), Viktor Gyökeres (Arsenal), Lucas Bergvall (Tottenham Hotspur), and Anthony Elanga (Newcastle United). All four are of Premier League quality.
What happens next: Sweden's remaining group games will determine their path to the knockout stages. Potter is under contract until 2030, suggesting long-term stability. Meanwhile, Tunisia's manager is reportedly facing the sack after the heavy defeat.