"Simply Not Explainable": Frankfurt's Krösche Blasts Sweden's Decision to Cut Hugo Larsson
Eintracht Frankfurt sporting board member Markus Krösche has publicly attacked Graham Potter's call to leave Hugo Larsson out of Sweden's final 26 for the 2026 World Cup. In a statement on the club's website, Krösche called the snub "incomprehensible" and "simply wrong" after a season of 34 competitive matches for the 21-year-old midfielder.
E intracht Frankfurt have publicly broken with Graham Potter over Sweden's World Cup squad. Sporting board member Markus Krösche issued a statement on the club's website on Wednesday morning attacking the decision to leave 21-year-old midfielder Hugo Larsson out of the final 26, less than 24 hours after Potter named his list at a press conference in Stockholm.
"This decision is simply not explainable from a sporting perspective," Krösche said in the club statement. "Hugo has developed at the highest level over the past few years, delivered consistent performances, and is one of the absolute key players in our squad."
"34 competitive matches this season speak a clear language. Anyone who ignores such performances sends the wrong signal to every professional who works hard week after week. For us it is clear: Hugo more than deserved the call-up. This decision is not only incomprehensible, but in our view simply wrong."
Larsson has 12 senior caps for Sweden and was part of the squad for the World Cup play-off ties against Ukraine and Poland in March, although he was an unused substitute in both matches. He has been a regular in Frankfurt's midfield since arriving from Malmö FF, and his minutes total this season is the basis Krösche is leaning on. The omission is the most contested individual call in Potter's 26, alongside the continued absence of Dejan Kulusevski for rehabilitation reasons.
Sweden open Group F against Tunisia on June 14 in Monterrey, then face the Netherlands in Houston on June 20 and Japan in Dallas on June 25. Public criticism from a Bundesliga club's sporting leadership over a national-team omission is unusual at this stage of the cycle, and the statement leaves Potter to answer the case in his first squad-explanation media availability before the team gathers in Stockholm on May 27.