Deki on pride of captaining his country

Dejan Kulusevski will captain his country for the first time this evening and he is determined to give his best to help take Sweden back to a major international tournament.

Called up by his nation for the start of their 2024/25 Nations League campaign, Sweden kick-off their campaign in Baku this evening as they take on Azerbaijan and it will Deki who will lead them out as he skippers his country for the first time in his career.

Having already been given the opportunity to show his leadership qualities by national team coach Jon Dahl Tomasson as he delivered an Ange Postecoglou speech for his team-mates back in March, Dejan can't wait to put the armband now. However, he also realises the responsibility of the role and knows how important the Nations League campaign which stands in front of Sweden could be for his country.

With Sweden having not qualified for a major international tournament since Euro 2020, our number 21 is determined to get his country back to the heights of international football and a good run in the Nations League could well be beneficial here with the best four league group winners earning a place in the 2026 World Cup qualification play-offs.

"I am proud and I am sure that I will do my best to take this country to what we deserve and to be with the boys and help to get us back to the top," Deki said ahead of Sweden's game with Azerbaijan. "It's an incredible challenge ahead of us, but it's incredibly fun and I do it with great joy and great faith that it will be really, really good.

"It will be great fun to start playing competitive matches again, playing for something that matters.

"The Nations League is important. If we win it, we will move up a division and we will have a better chance of qualifying for the World Cup."