World Cup 2026: Sweden sweat over Alexander Isak as star striker trains alone before Netherlands test

Sweden’s preparations for their Group F meeting with the Netherlands have taken a carefully managed turn, with Alexander Isak set apart from the main group as the squad balances recovery and momentum following their emphatic 5-1 win over Tunisia.

The striker, who opened his tournament account with a goal in that opening-day demolition, has been placed on an individual programme designed to manage his workload after a physically taxing return to top-level action.

The adjustment comes amid growing attention on his fitness following a stop-start campaign at club level last season.

“One player is training individually, and that’s Alexander Isak. He is following an individual programme as part of extra recovery after the match,” said the Blagult press officer, Petra Thoren.

Isak’s involvement against Tunisia stretched him further than at any point in recent months, as he logged 89 minutes in Dallas. That represented his longest outing since recovering from a broken leg that sidelined him between December and April. Across the 2025/26 campaign, he never completed a full 90 minutes for Liverpool, underlining the cautious approach now being taken.

Despite the tailored programme, there is no immediate concern over his availability for Saturday’s meeting with the Dutch, who opened their own campaign with a 2-2 draw against Japan. Sweden staff are instead managing his exposure on the training pitch rather than restricting his match involvement.

“He will be out on the field some of the time and the rest in the gym,” Thoren confirmed.

Ayari embraces extreme heat preparation in Texas

While Isak’s workload is being carefully controlled, teammate Yasin Ayari has taken a very different approach to the environmental challenge awaiting Sweden in Houston, where soaring temperatures are expected to play a decisive role in the Group F showdown.

Ayari, who scored twice against Tunisia in a standout performance against the country of his father’s birth, has been using unconventional methods to prepare for the Texan heat. During training sessions, he has been spotted wearing a full long-sleeved tracksuit top and trousers despite the sweltering conditions.

Explaining the rationale behind his approach, he said: “It’s to get used to the heat,” he told Sportbladet. “People usually do that in the Sahara to protect themselves from the sun. It’s just to be ready for the matches so that it won’t be such a big shock.”

He also drew on personal experience from previous travels to North Africa as part of his acclimatisation strategy, though he was quick to temper the comparison.

“In Morocco I’ve done it a few times when I’ve been there,” he said, before admitting: “But not in the Sahara.”