Rosa Kafaji set to miss Euro 2025 but expected back for pre-season

Rosa Kafaji has undergone surgery on a foot injury that will rule her out of this summer’s European Championship in Switzerland, ending her hopes of a major tournament breakthrough after missing out on the World Cup last year.

The Arsenal forward had been widely tipped to make Sweden’s final 23-player squad for the Euros. Despite limited game time during the second half of the season, her technical ability and tactical versatility were viewed as assets by national team manager Peter Gerhardsson.

However, Kafaji’s ongoing foot problem, which had already prevented her from featuring in the Champions League final, required surgical intervention earlier this month. Gerhardsson confirmed the news in an interview with Sportbladet, calling the development “incredibly sad”.

“She’s been with us a lot but had a rocky journey, not just this injury but another one before as well,” he said. “It’s personally very sad because she’s someone who could have been brilliant. Unfortunately, it’s affected her quite a bit.”

Kafaji is expected to return in time for Arsenal’s pre-season preparations in mid-July.

Gerhardsson declined to elaborate on his recent conversations with the player, saying only: “Yes [we’ve spoken]. But it stays between her and me. I knew about this.”

Kafaji joined Arsenal last summer from Häcken, and while her integration into the squad has been interrupted by injuries, she remains highly rated by the club’s technical staff. The surgery is understood to have been successful, and a full recovery is expected without complications.