- Netherlands have drawn two and lost one of their last five matches, scoring six goals over that time.
- Sweden have won three of their last five games, scoring 14 goals in the process.
- Sweden have won one and lost one of their two away games this year.
Group F rivals meet in Houston
Sweden lead the way in Group F of the 2026 FIFA World Cup ahead of their Group F clash with Netherlands, who are third with one point after being held to a 2-2 draw by Japan last time out.
The Swedes recovered from a 3-1 defeat to Norway in their opening away game to beat Greece 2-0 and then thrashed Tunisia 5-1 to set up this clash with Ronald Koeman's team.
The odds suggest that Sweden will take the points, but Sweden's superior form and ruthless finishing make them a good bet for a victory at 18/5, while the overs are taken at 91/100 and Both Teams to Score - Yes at 83/100.
Sweden have been scoring goals
Graham Potter has been working his magic with Sweden and the Swedes are a very different proposition.
Sweden are still a defensive side that sets up with a mid-to-low block out of possession, but Potter's teams are always set up to transition very quickly and they have become a much more unpredictable and dangerous team when they get the ball.
Viktor Gyökeres has six goals in his last five appearances in all competitions and can punish any Netherlands defenders caught out of position.
The Dutch always control the ball and set the tempo of matches, but Koeman is more willing than van Gaal to speed up the play from the back third and use his wingbacks to overload the wide areas.
Dutch could be undone by direct Sweden
There are some good ball-playing defenders in the squad and Virgil van Dijk has scored two goals in his last five games, while Ryan Gravenberch is the Dutch orchestrator with two assists. Netherlands have been a little inconsistent of late, losing 1-0 to Algeria, edging out Uzbekistan 2-1 and toiling to a 2-2 draw with Japan. That sort of form, combined with Sweden's superior scoring record and greater ability to play direct, suggests the Netherlands could nick it. But the Group F positions are at stake here, so both teams should push for the goals in what should be a relatively open affair. Crysencio Summerville is the top scorer in Group F with one goal in one game for the Netherlands, but Gravenberch has been the key to their creativity with two assists. Yasin Ayari is the top scorer in the group for Sweden with two goals in one, while Alexander Isak has two assists in as many games.
