Alexander Bernhardsson Prepares for Sweden’s 04:00 Tunisia Opener
alexander bernhardsson is on site with Sweden and training daily as the squad closes in on its World Cup opener against Tunisia. The match comes Monday morning at 04:00 in Monterrey, Mexico, and it will be his first major tournament with the national team.
Monterrey Awaits Sweden
Bernhardsson said he is happy to be in place, working through details on the training pitch and feeling the build-up tighten as the opener approaches. Sweden has been based in Dallas, Texas, while Graham Potter’s squad prepares for the first match of the tournament.
The timing gives this week a clear edge. Potter picked the squad on 12 May, and Sweden then used warm-up matches against Norway and Greece in early June to sharpen the group before the trip to Monterrey. Bernhardsson has been part of that process from the start.
Holstein Kiel And The Injury Run
The Sweden forward arrived at this point after leaving IF Elfsborg in January 2024 and moving to Holstein Kiel, where the club won promotion to the Bundesliga after his first spring there. His path into this tournament has not been smooth. During the winter last season, he suffered a foot fracture, and after returning too quickly he picked up a muscle injury and missed more time.
He still finished strongly at club level, making two assists in the final three league rounds. After the season ended, he went to Borås Arena to watch IF Elfsborg play Mjällby, a reminder of the club ties that still run through this Sweden squad and staff.
Elfsborg Links Inside Sweden
Bernhardsson said there are several people in the national team with Elfsborg connections, including Besfort, Gustaf and Linus Kandolin, while Björn Hamberg has taken over as manager and Anthony Elanga also has a link to the club through its youth teams. That familiarity has been part of the camp as Sweden waits for the tournament to begin.
He also framed the wider feeling around the squad in plain terms: the World Cup call-up is a dream, and the support from home gives the group something to give back to when Sweden steps out in Monterrey. For Bernhardsson, Monday morning is the first test of that long wait.
