Match story
- Sweden fired more attempts (26 vs 3 shots).
- Sweden was more accurate in front of goal (54% on target vs 33%).
- Sweden held more of the ball (64% possession).
Sweden defeated Malta 3-0 in Euro Championship. The fixture is part of the Qualifying Round - 3 stage in the 2020 season. The match was played at Friends Arena in Solna. R. Harvey officiated the match. The full-time result capped a Sweden vs Malta meeting in Euro Championship with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for Sweden and Malta. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
Euro ChampionshipRecorded meetings: 0 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
Former Liverpool forward Robbie Fowler says Alexander Isak has "got everything in the locker" to have an emphatic 2026-27 campaign for the Reds. "Not only can he beat players, bring players into the game, but he scores goals which is massive," Fowler told BBC Sport. Although Isak's match fitness and injuries impacted his debut season at Anfield, Fowler said the Sweden international will aim to return to club football "fit and firing".
Charlotte FC take on the Chicago Fire this weekend, with Dean Smith wanting to add silverware to the club's trophy cabinet this season. The post ‘We want to win trophies’ – Smith eyeing silverware with Charlotte appeared first on SoccerNews.
Tottenham manager Roberto de Zerbi says he has told midfielder Lucas Bergvall to stay but cannot promise him a starting role. The Sweden international, 20, has received multiple offers from Premier League rivals Newcastle and Nottingham Forest but surprisingly started Spurs' 4-2 penalty shootout win over Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium on Wednesday. De Zerbi admitted he made mistakes in his handling of Bergvall during a chaotic end to the season following his appointment in March, when he narrowly guided Spurs to Premier League safety with a final-day victory over Everton.
According to reports, Arsenal would be willing to include Viktor Gyokeres in a deal for Julian Alvarez. Arsenal’s chase of Julian Alvarez has taken a new turn, with the Premier League club reportedly prepared to sweeten any offer for the Argentine by throwing in one of their own stars. According to Gary Jacob of The Times, the Gunners are willing to include Viktor Gyokeres as part of a package deal for Atletico Madrid’s star forward. The move stems directly from manager Mikel Arteta, who is said to have personally asked the club’s hierarchy to go after Alvarez this summer after Arsenal missed out on Morgan Rogers. The 23-year-old ultimately joined Chelsea instead, becoming the most expensive signing in the Blues‘ history, and that setback appears to have pushed Arteta to look at Alvarez as his priority target to add another dimension to Arsenal’s attack. Including Gyokeres in the proposal signal just how far Arteta is willing to go to land Alvarez. The Swedish forward joined roughly a year ago from Sporting CP for a fee in a similar range to his current valuation of around €65 million, and he was Arsenal’s top scorer last season. Viktor Gyokeres of Arsenal. (Getty Images) Alvarez and Gyokeres’ season Alvarez enters the conversation off a productive campaign at Atletico Madrid. In LaLiga alone, he scored 8 goals and added 4 assists across 29 appearances, totaling 1,902 minutes. Across all competitions, his output rose to 20 goals and 9 assists in 49 matches, including 10 goals and 4 assists in 15 Champions League appearances, tying him as Atletico’s top scorer alongside Alexander Sorloth. He carried that form into the 2026 World Cup with Argentina, where he found the net just once, delivering when it mattered most with an extra-time goal in Argentina’s 3-1 quarterfinal victory over Switzerland. Gyokeres, meanwhile, closes his first season in North London as Arsenal‘s leading scorer, with 21 goals across 55 games in all competitions, including 14 in 36 Premier League appearances. He then took that form into the World Cup with Sweden, where he scored one goal and provided two assists in a campaign that ended with his team’s elimination in the round of 32 against France.
Slavko Vincic has been assigned as the referee for the 2026 World Cup final, prompting questions on his record with Lionel Messi's Argentina and Lamine Yamal's Spain. The 2026 World Cup final is rapidly approaching, and every minor detail surrounding Sunday’s grand finale at MetLife Stadium will be under the global microscope. FIFA recently announced that Slovenian official Slavko Vincic has been appointed to referee the tournament’s deciding match. The high-profile assignment has immediately sparked discussion regarding his historical track record with Lionel Messi‘s Argentina and Lamine Yamal’s Spain. Vincic, 46, has put together a distinguished international career since first earning his FIFA badge in 2010, regularly calling marquee matchups in Europe and on the international stage. At the club level, his impressive resume is highlighted by officiating the 2022 UEFA Europa League final between Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers, as well as the 2024 UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. The Slovenian official made his World Cup debut in Qatar, where he was assigned to two matches, and has added another three assignments to his tally during the 2026 tournament. Sunday’s highly anticipated final will mark his sixth career World Cup match, and his fourth of this current campaign, representing the absolute pinnacle of his officiating career. Yamal’s Spain record with Vincic Given his status as one of UEFA’s top referees, Vincic has had numerous opportunities to oversee Spain in competitive European fixtures. His history with La Roja dates back to a 2017 friendly against Colombia, followed by group-stage duties at Euro 2020 against Sweden, and a UEFA Nations League semifinal clash against Italy in 2023, though all of those matches predated Lamine Yamal‘s international breakthrough. The match officials for @FIFAWorldCup Final have been appointed. 🤝— FIFA (@FIFAcom) July 16, 2026 However, Vincic has been the man in the middle for two significant matches in Yamal’s young international career. Both occurred during Spain‘s triumphant Euro 2024 campaign, starting with a 1-0 group-stage win over Italy and followed by the 2-1 semifinal victory against France, where the teenage winger scored his famous long-range equalizer. Vincic’s record with Messi’s Argentina Due to the geographical divide, Vincic has naturally crossed paths with Argentina far less frequently than Spain. Yet, the Slovenian referee was at the whistle for one of the most shocking and painful moments in modern Argentine soccer history. The only time Vincic has refereed the Albiceleste was during their opening group-stage match of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. In that game, Saudi Arabia pulled off a historic 2-1 upset, snapping Argentina’s legendary 36-match unbeaten streak and marking the only time Messi’s side has ever lost with Vincic on the pitch. Lionel Messi of Argentina speaks with referee Slavko Vincic. Despite the final scoreline, the refereeing decisions on that day actually favored the South American champions early on. In just the seventh minute, Vincic awarded Argentina a penalty after Leandro Paredes was pulled down during a corner kick, a decision that was heavily debate, allowing Messi to open the scoring, before he went on to hand out six yellow cards to Saudi Arabian players while keeping his book clean for the Argentines.
BBC Sport understands Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall, who Nottingham Forest are set to make a £45m bid for, wants to move to the City Ground. The 20-year-old Sweden international played limited minutes at the end of last season under Spurs boss Roberto de Zerbi, often not in his preferred number six position. Forest are believed to be looking for another midfielder in addition to Bergvall after Elliot Anderson's record-breaking move to Manchester City.
The stakes couldn't be higher, and fans are buzzing to see exactly how this do-or-die result will define the ultimate road to the tournament's biggest prize. France and Spain are squaring off in an absolutely massive Semi-finals showdown at the 2026 World Cup. Didier Deschamps’ squad is gearing up to battle Luis de la Fuente’s reigning European champions in Arlington. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and fans are buzzing to see exactly how this do-or-die result will define the ultimate road to the tournament’s biggest prize. France enters the contest after an impressive run through the knockout rounds, while Spain has continued to showcase the possession-based soccer that has become its trademark. With stars such as Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise, Desire Doue, Rodri, and Lamine Yamal expected to feature, the semifinal promises to be one of the standout matches of the competition. France arrives with confidence Les Bleus have looked like one of the tournament’s most complete teams. They topped their group before defeating Sweden, Paraguay, and Morocco to reach the semifinal without conceding a goal in the knockout rounds. Didier Deschamps has built an attack capable of hurting opponents in several different ways. Mbappe leads the Golden Boot race with eight goals. At the same time, Dembele continues to justify his reputation after winning the Ballon d’Or, and Olise has emerged as one of the tournament’s leading creators. DateFrance’s OpponentStageResultJuly 9, 2026MoroccoQuarter-finalsWin (2-0)July 4, 2026ParaguayRound of 16Win (1-0)June 30, 2026SwedenRound of 32Win (3-0)June 26, 2026NorwayGroup StageWin (4-1)June 22, 2026IraqGroup StageWin (3-0)June 16, 2026SenegalGroup StageWin (3-1) The team has also become increasingly balanced as the tournament has progressed. Adrien Rabiot and Manu Kone have provided stability behind an explosive front four, allowing Deschamps to play with greater attacking freedom than in previous World Cups. Spain continues to trust its identity Spain has taken a different route to the semifinals. Luis de la Fuente’s side has relied on patience, possession and defensive discipline, conceding only once throughout the tournament. Rodri continues to dictate the tempo in midfield, while Lamine Yamal remains one of soccer’s brightest young stars despite not yet reaching his peak scoring form in North America. Mikel Merino has repeatedly delivered from the bench, scoring decisive late goals against both Portugal and Belgium. DateSpain’s OpponentStageResultJuly 10, 2026BelgiumQuarter-finalsWin (2-1)July 6, 2026PortugalRound of 16Win (1-0)July 2, 2026AustriaRound of 32Win (3-0)June 27, 2026UruguayGroup StageWin (1-0)June 21, 2026Saudi ArabiaGroup StageWin (4-0)June 15, 2026Cabo VerdeGroup StageTie (0-0) Spain’s confidence also comes from recent history against France. La Roja defeated Les Bleus in the Euro 2024 semifinal and again in the 2025 UEFA Nations League semifinal, giving them belief that another victory is possible. What happens if France wins and Spain loses? A French victory would send Les Bleus into another World Cup final, where they would meet the winner of the Argentina vs England semifinal. Kylian Mbappe #10 of France celebrates with Dayot Upamecano #4 and Michael Olise #11. Spain would then be eliminated from title contention and move into the Third-Place Match. A place in the final would also continue France’s remarkable consistency at the highest level, adding another chapter to one of international soccer’s strongest modern eras. What happens if France and Spain are level after 90 minutes? Although the match could finish level after regulation, the semifinal itself cannot end in a draw. Kylian Mbappe #10 of France converts the penalty to score Instead, the teams would play 30 minutes of extra time, and if neither side finds a winner, the contest would be settled by a penalty shootout. Only after those stages would the World Cup bracket be completed, with one team advancing to th
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