Sweden midfielder Ayari: Looking forward to the next World Cup, hoping to showcase my abilities

Sweden lost 3-0 to France in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16. Midfielder Yassine Ayari spoke to Swedish media after the match.

Yassine, summarize your current feelings and thoughts.

It was indeed very tough; being eliminated is certainly not easy. But we lost to a very strong opponent. They reached the finals in the past two FIFA World Cups, so we knew this match would be difficult. Their finishing ability is very strong; give them a little chance, and they'll convert it into a goal.

However, I think our entire team, these brothers, should be proud. We put in a lot of effort to get to where we are today. The French team has been coached by the same person for many years, and their squad is relatively stable. In comparison, we are still a relatively new team, but we still made it this far. We also experienced many difficulties during the qualifiers. So, to achieve such results in such a short time, we should be proud of ourselves. From now on, things can only improve.

You also mentioned that the French team is very strong. In your opinion, what could you have done better to make it more difficult for them?

We did have a few good chances, and if we had taken them, the game might have been completely different. Games at this level are often decided by details. As I said, if those chances had been converted into goals instead of being wasted, the outcome might have been different. If we had defended better against their chances, the game might also have taken a different course. But that's the reality, and we can only learn from it. As I said before, from here things can only improve.

How do you evaluate your own performance and your experience at this FIFA World Cup? Brighton & Hove Albion gave you a lot of trust.

Trust needs to be earned. I have always tried to stay humble and given my all in training. I was quite satisfied with my performance in the first match, but it declined a bit afterwards. People still need to self-reflect, but that's how it is.

This was my first FIFA World Cup, and I learned a lot here. As I said before, from now on things can only improve. I'm already looking forward to the next FIFA World Cup, hoping to showcase my abilities and the strength of the Swedish team.

You mentioned the French team's long-term stable squad and coaching staff. With the UEFA Nations League coming up, on what basis do you think the team can continue to improve? How do you see the future of the Swedish national team?

There are many positive aspects. As I said, the longer we are together, the better the understanding between players and coaches will become, which is the nature of football. So I hope we can maintain these advantages and continue to improve on the existing foundation. From now on, we only need to keep moving forward.

You stayed with the Swedish fans for a while after the match. What do you want to say to them? What did that moment mean to you?

Their support has been incredibly moving from day one. When no one believed in us, they were always behind us. Even when we were 3-0 down, they were still singing in the stands at the end, and hearing their voices was truly heartwarming. Unfortunately, we couldn't repay them with a victory. But I am very grateful and honored to play for the national team and represent my country. I can't fully express my gratitude for their support in words. As I said before, I look forward to the next major tournament and hope to bring them more joy.

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