Following his official omission from Sweden's World Cup squad due to a devastating year-long injury, Kulusevski's focus has now fully shifted to the 2026-27 club season. The forward is determined to be ready to work under Roberto De Zerbi at Tottenham, and despite the lengthy layoff, national team doctor Jonas Werner remains optimistic about the long-term career prospects for the former Juventus man.
“He won't give up hope,” Werner said, via Sportbladet. “He's getting plenty of help from the club and others who are helping him with his rehabilitation. I have good hopes that he will play football again.”
Kulusevski was officially ruled out of this summer’s World Cup in North America after failing to recover from a persistent patella injury. The forward has not seen competitive action since May 2025, an absence that was initially downplayed by former Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou but has since morphed into a year-long nightmare involving multiple surgeries.
Sweden manager Graham Potter admitted it was a “very, very difficult decision” to leave the Spurs man out of his final World Cup squad. Despite Kulusevski’s public efforts to prove his fitness in time for the tournament, the medical reality has forced the Blagult to move forward without one of their most creative sparks.
Dr. Werner has lifted the lid on why the 26-year-old is still struggling to return to top-level competition. Speaking via Sportbladet, the team doctor explained the complexities of the injury that has kept the winger in the treatment room for over 12 months.
“It has been a long story,” Werner explained. “Dejan has done everything to get ready to play World Cup football again. Now he was not ready. This is because he has not played football for over a year. And the medical assessments pointed in one direction. It is a combination of different things.”
The nature of the injury is particularly troublesome for a professional athlete. Werner detailed the physiological hurdles Kulusevski faces, noting that the specific area of damage does not heal like a standard muscle tear or bone break due to a lack of blood flow in the cartilage.
“They are difficult to treat,” Werner continued. “Cartilage has no blood supply and no nerves. They do not heal in the usual way. In addition, his injury is in a place where a lot of strain occurs for a football player. The kneecap slides back and forth over the femur. An enormous compressive force is developed. It is likely that his injury has not healed enough for him to cope with that strain yet.”
It remains to be seen whether Kulusevski will be fit to return in time for next season, as Tottenham start their first full campaign under De Zerbi.