Viktor Johansson and the Rotherham United old boy's World Cup plight

Viktor Johansson became a huge crowd favourite during a successful spell at AESSEAL New York Stadium before moving on to Stoke City in May 2024.

The 27-year has since become Sweden's first-choice goalkeeper, but he's has been out of action because of injury throughout 2026 and his place in the squad for this summer's global extravaganza in America, Canada and Mexico is in jeopardy.

“Of course I’d like to be back this season,” he said in an interview with Radio Stoke. “The likelihood of that, I don’t know. You need to hit certain scores and that could be tomorrow or in two months’ time. To be back May time to make sure I could be available for World Cup selection is what we’re working towards.”

Johansson fractured his shoulder early on in a game against Sheffield United on December 29. Typically for a keeper renowned for his bravery, he completed the match without realising the extent of the damage he'd suffered and was even planning to face Hull City three days later.

Subsequent tests showed that he required surgery and he has been sidelined ever since.

“It was a bit of a weird one,” he said. “It happened after four minutes against Sheffield United at home. I didn’t really think anything of it and kept playing.

“I heard a crack, but I felt fine. I just thought it was something else. I was prepared to play against Hull but we decided to go for a scan and it showed there was a fracture.”

Johansson joined the Millers as an unknown in September 2020 following his departure from Leicester City during the Covid pandemic and went on to become a superb performer across nearly 150 League One and Championship appearances.

Just before he left, he paid for 600 pints of beer at the Cutlers Arms pub on Westgate for fans to thank them for all the support they had given him.

He received his first call-up to the Swedish senior squad while he was with Rotherham and now has 12 caps after ousting Robin Olsen from the number-one role.

Sweden are in World Cup Group F with Holland, Japan and Tunisia and Johansson - who won Stoke's Player of the Year award in his first season at the bet365 Stadium - would love to join them across the Atlantic Ocean for the finals.

He has found his protracted absence from the pitch frustrating. However, fatherhood - he has two children - has given him a sense of perspective.

“I miss it every day,” he said. “It’s been so hard to get into the mindset of not playing. In the last three or four seasons, hadn't really had an injury keeping me away. ’m never going to take things for granted ever again. That’s the biggest lesson I can take from this.

“It (the operation) was a decision that had to be made sure everything was right. Being a dad as well, I want to be able to lift my kids when I’m older.”