Sweden rout Tunisia 5-1 in World Cup opener; Ayari notes 'special flavor'

Sweden began their 2026 World Cup campaign with a dominant 5-1 victory over Tunisia in Monterrey. The match held particular significance for Swedish midfielder Yassine Ayari, whose parents are Tunisian.

"It was a match with a special flavor for me, because of my Tunisian roots. But I played a positive game and defended the colors of Sweden, whose jersey I wear," Ayari said after the game. He also offered words of support to the Tunisian team, wishing them confidence for their upcoming matches.

Swedish coach Graham Potter praised his team's offensive performance while acknowledging Tunisia's strengths. "We had a promising start in a match that was not easy. I had warned the players about the capabilities of the Tunisian team, which had a positive qualifying run," Potter stated. He highlighted offensive efficiency as the key to the victory.

"Offensive efficiency was present. We must now build on this victory and focus on the match against the Netherlands, which will be different from the one against Tunisia. The mission will be more difficult," Potter concluded.