Wed 01 Jul - Posted in Breaking News
Time to read: 2mins
Jacob Widell Zetterström’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with Sweden came to a close against tournament favourites France on Tuesday night.
The Derby County shot-stopper shone stateside, making his World Cup debut as he started two matches for his country.
The 26-year-old impressed in the final game of Group F, when Sweden went toe-to-toe with Japan in Dallas, Texas. The spoils were shared in a 1-1 draw that sealed a spot in the Round of 32.
France awaited in New York, and the tournament favourites’ quality told as they emerged 3-0 winners. Zetterström’s display between the sticks still stood out, however, making nine saves against France’s forward line.
The Rams goalkeeper took pride in his first World Cup experience with Sweden and remained positive about the future when speaking to Sporty TV after the game.
“It's tough now, always tough after a loss. But I think we can be very proud of what we've done here.
“We knew coming into the game that [France] have got immense quality up front and all over the park.
But, at the end of the day, we can only do what we can do. And throughout the 96 minutes, I think we did an amazing job.”
Zetterström also sees the competition as a personal learning experience, as well as a good foundation for his national side’s young group.
“It's a rather new team and group of players,” he said.
“We have plenty of players who haven't played in a World Cup before. So, we can learn plenty of things from it.
“We've faced some very good teams along the way in the group and a very good team in France today. So, although we lost, there's plenty of experience to gain from this.”
Zetterström made 32 appearances and kept seven clean sheets for the Rams in the Sky Bet Championship in 2025/26.
His form earned a spot in the Sweden squad, having made his first competitive outing for his nation when they qualified for the tournament with a 1-1 draw against Slovenia back in November 2025.
Head Coach Graham Potter then selected the shot-stopper and handed him the number one shirt as part of the Sweden squad heading out to the United States.
Zetterström was amongst a goalkeeping group alongside AIK’s Kristoffer Nordfeldt and fellow Championship man Viktor Johansson of Stoke City.
He will soon return to Derby as pre-season preparations get underway for the 2026/27 season.
