Graham Potter's journey to World Cup management has been anything but straightforward — two sackings in 15 months before finding his way back to Sweden, the country where he first built his reputation as a coach. On Tuesday, at Estadio Monterrey in Mexico, that redemption arc took a decisive step forward as Sweden dismantled Tunisia 5-1 in Group F.

The scoreline told the story emphatically. Sweden scored more goals in this single match than the four they managed across the entire qualifying group stage — a campaign that was largely overseen by Potter's predecessor, Jon Dahl Tomasson. Under the Dane, Sweden's hopes of automatic qualification collapsed, and they finished bottom of their group behind Switzerland, Kosovo, and Slovenia without a single win in six games.

A second chance through the play-offs

Sweden only reached this tournament through their UEFA Nations League ranking, which placed them on play-off path 34. Potter was handed the reins in October and, despite being unable to rescue the qualifying campaign, guided the side through play-off victories over Ukraine and Poland to secure a place at the finals.

For a manager who was dismissed by West Ham in late September — having won just six of 23 Premier League matches — and whose tenure at Chelsea was widely considered a failure after his impressive work at Brighton, the World Cup offered a rare second chance on football's grandest stage.

Sweden's attack lights up Monterrey

Central to Sweden's display was the partnership between Alexander Isak, back to full fitness after his move to Liverpool for £125 million, and Arsenal forward Viktor Gyokeres. The pair combined brilliantly, assisting each other's goals in what Potter will hope is a sign of things to come.

It is a formidable attacking partnership — one capable of troubling any defence — and its performance against Tunisia will have only strengthened belief within the camp as they prepare for their next Group F fixture against Netherlands on Saturday at 18:00 BST.

Sweden's history and Potter's feel for the country

Potter's bond with Sweden runs deep. Before the tournament, he told BBC Sport that he feels genuinely Swedish, having spent seven years at Östersunds FK, guiding the club from the fourth tier to the top flight, winning the domestic cup, and taking them into European competition for the first time.