Gabriel Gudmundsson readies Sweden for Tunisia opener in Dallas
gabriel gudmundsson is in Dallas with Sweden’s base camp and says the team is ready for its World Cup opener against Tunisia on Monday morning. The Leeds United defender said the squad has already worked through heat preparation in Stockholm and now wants that edge to show at the Monterrey Stadium.
Dallas base camp for Sweden
“We’re here at our camp in Dallas for training and I am so happy for that,” Gudmundsson said, adding that it is starting to feel more real with the tournament about to begin. He also said he is “super, super happy” to be back with the national team and at Sweden’s base camp in Dallas.
The 26-year-old full-back said Sweden had a good camp in Stockholm before arriving in the United States, and the work there included sauna sessions to help the squad acclimatise to the heat. That preparation came before two tough but good friendly games, which Gudmundsson said left the group feeling ready for what is coming next.
Heat and Tunisia
Gudmundsson said the weather is a major factor in the United States, calling the heat “a big, big topic here.” He said it will be difficult, but insisted the challenge is the same for every team and Sweden need “a better plan.”
He pointed to Tunisia as a demanding opening opponent, describing them as “a very strong team defensively, very compact and good in transitions.” Sweden face Tunisia at the Monterrey Stadium on Monday morning for viewers in the UK and the rest of Europe, with the game opening Group F for both sides.
Sweden’s first World Cup test
Gudmundsson said Sweden know the value of a fast start in the tournament and believes it can shape their path through the group. “We know also that if you can start very well in the tournament, we have a good chance to go through, so hopefully we can do that on Monday,” he said.
He also said many players in the squad are at a World Cup for the first time, which has added to the energy around the camp. Sweden enter the match as the 39th-ranked team in FIFA’s list, while Tunisia are 45th, and Gudmundsson said Sweden want to be better prepared than the others and use that to put themselves in the “pole position.”
