Viktor Gyökeres Shines in World Cup Warm-Up

The domestic season has barely cooled, but Viktor Gyökeres is already back in stride – and back on the scoresheet.

In Stockholm, Sweden’s leading striker treated a packed home crowd to a reminder of his full repertoire, this time from a dead ball. With his side trailing Greece in their final warm-up before the 2026 World Cup, Gyökeres stepped up in the second half and curled a free-kick beyond the wall and into the net, a finish struck with the confidence of a man who expects to be decisive this summer.

Greece had drawn first blood through Liverpool defender Kostas Tsimikas, who opened the scoring for the visitors and briefly silenced the Friends Arena. Gyökeres’ response reignited the home support, and the turnaround gathered pace when Gustaf Nilsson edged Sweden in front.

The night refused to settle there. Deep into stoppage time, with Sweden seconds from signing off with a comeback win, Giorgos Masouras found a 95th-minute equaliser to snatch a 2-2 draw. The late blow denied Sweden the result, but not the reassurance: their main striker looks razor sharp, and their attack already carries a familiar threat.

Merino wears the armband as Spain sign off at home

Across the continent in A Coruña, Spain staged their own farewell to home fans before flying out for the World Cup – a 1-1 draw with fellow qualifiers Iraq that told a quieter, more controlled story.

Ferran Torres, ever alert in the final third, struck first. Dani Olmo slipped him in and Torres did the rest, giving La Roja a lead that matched their early authority. Iraq refused to fold. Merchas Doski caught goalkeeper Joan Garcia off guard, levelling the match and injecting a little edge into what had looked like a comfortable Spanish send-off.

The second half turned into a test of rhythm and patience rather than drama. On 68 minutes, Mikel Merino replaced Alex Baena and later took the captain’s armband, a small but telling nod to his standing within this evolving Spain squad. The scoreline never shifted again, but the image of Merino leading the side off the pitch felt significant as Spain’s preparations move into their final phase.

Next stop: Mexico. Spain travel to Puebla for one last tune-up against Peru, searching for sharper finishing and a cleaner performance before the real scrutiny begins.

O’Neill steps up for Northern Ireland

While World Cup contenders fine-tuned on the big stage, there was a different kind of milestone in Cadiz – one that may echo through Northern Ireland’s future.

At the Estadio Municipal de la Linea de la Concepción, 18-year-old Ceadach O’Neill made his senior debut in a 1-0 win over Guinea. The Hale End winger, already on the fringes of first-team squads during the 2025/26 campaign and a standout in Premier League 2 and the UEFA Youth League, was sent on as a second-half substitute, replacing Isaac Price in the 64th minute.

By then, the decisive moment was on the board. Tom Atcheson had struck the only goal of the game, and Northern Ireland dug in to protect it, giving O’Neill a taste of the intensity and responsibility that comes with full international football.

For him, this is just the first step. The challenge now sharpens immediately: Northern Ireland travel to Lille next week to face France at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Another of his club’s stars could be lining up in blue on the opposite side.

From a free-kick in Stockholm to a debut in Cadiz, the countdown to 2026 is already throwing up storylines. Some are about form, some about opportunity. The question now is who can carry this momentum onto the biggest stage of all.