Sweden World Cup squad: Alexander Isak and Viktor Geokeres among those selected

Arsenal striker Victor Giocares and Liverpool forward Alexander Isak have been named in Sweden’s World Cup squad.

However, the summer tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States has come too soon for Tottenham forward Dejan Kulusevski, who has missed the season without playing due to a knee injury.

Sweden coach Graham Potter said the 26-year-old was difficult to drop.

“It’s a very, very difficult decision given where he (Kulusevsky) has been and what he’s done over the last year, given his rehab with four and a half weeks to go before the first game,” Potter said at a news conference.

Isak, 26, has also had an injury-hit campaign and has started just eight league matches for Liverpool since his £125m British record move from Newcastle last summer.

“We obviously hope he finishes the season with some game time at Liverpool,” added Potter. “Our challenge is to get Alex at the best moment of the season and hit him in top form, because if he does that, he’s a world-class player.”

Sweden endured a miserable qualifying campaign, finishing bottom of their group with two points, but their performance in the Nations League gave them a second chance and wins over Ukraine and Poland in the play-offs saw them reach the final.

“It’s incredibly exciting – a huge honor for me,” said Potter, who became Sweden’s manager in October “The positive response from our fans has been fantastic, and now we look forward to making more memories together during the World Cup.”

Geokeres and Isak are two of 11 British-based players in the squad, which includes goalkeepers Viktor Johansson (Stoke) and Jakob Widel Zetterstrom (Derby) and defenders Hjalmar Ekdal (Burnley), Gabriel Gudmundsson (Leeds) and Viktor Lindelof (A).

Midfielders Yassin Ayari and Lucas Bergvall, who played for Brighton and Tottenham, have also been named, as have Newcastle winger Anthony Elanga and Celtic forward Benjamin Nygren.

Sweden are in Group F and play in Monterrey, Mexico in Tunisia before two games in the USA on June 14 (03:00 BST, June 15) – against the Netherlands in Houston on June 20 and Japan five days later in Dallas (00:00 BST, June 26).