Dejan Kulusevski has risen in stature at Tottenham Hotspur this season, scoring twice and assisting five times.
Playing in midfield more than previously, the 24-year-old is also becoming a leader. He also plays a central role for the Swedish national team and in the UEFA Nations League two days ago he scored twice and grabbed an assist against Azerbaijan.
As club football returns, the Tottenham star spoke to SportBladet and took a bit of a shot at Azerbaijan, implying that he would rather play against teams that do not cheat, referencing how the opposition played the day before yesterday.
He told the outlet: “I think it’s easier [against bigger other teams], because they try to play football. They don’t cheat, it’s more football against the best and I love that, then you meet each other on the same terms.
“They have more quality and we play man-to-man so it becomes more important for the individual to finish his duel, but we are not afraid.”
That confidence can only help Ange Postecoglou’s side, who now look to him to create chances and scoring goals.
It’s hard to overstate just how much Kulusevski’s stature has grown with the Swedish national team in recent months. He appears to be the leader of a new era and it would be no surprise to see the Tottenham player get the captaincy permanently soon.
