MORRIS TOWNSHIP, NJ — Emil Forsberg added it so nonchalantly toward the end of his availability on Tuesday afternoon that everyone involved had to do a quick double-take.
The veteran Red Bull New York midfielder announced his international retirement on June 25 after failing to make the Swedish national team for the 2026 World Cup on US soil, but only did so to local outlets in his home nation. Tuesday’s revelation was news to some on hand, even some working with Red Bull.
“I came to the conclusion that I was gonna end my time in the Swedish national team,” Forsberg told amNewYork, as well as South Ward Central, on Tuesday following Red Bull training. “I’m very calm and relaxed in myself, and it was fun to watch the guys. I know most of them. So supporting them, wishing them the best. So for me, it was OK.”
The 34-year-old made 92 appearances for Sweden over a stellar career, highlighted by his time with Red Bull Leipzig in the German Bundesliga. He was a part of the Swedish squad that made the quarterfinals at the 2018 World Cup in Russia and also appeared in the 2016 and 2020 European Championships. He scored four goals in four matches in the famed continental competition six years ago. Forsberg ends his international career with 21 goals across all competitions.
While Sweden reached the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup before falling to France at MetLife Stadium on June 30, Forsberg has remained in training with his Red Bull teammates, ramping up for the resumption of the 2026 season on July 22.
“I’ve been having some fantastic weeks. We’ve been training fantastic,” he said. “Training’s been good, we’ve had some days off, weather’s been fantastic. I’ve been enjoying life. I can’t complain.
“I would say Sweden did OK. They did what they could do. Then they played a fantastic opponent in France, so that was tough for them. But before that, they did what they could do, and I think they should be proud.”
Rhys Williams still in training
Former Liverpool academy product and defender Rhys Williams is still with Red Bull and was training with the squad on Tuesday. The 25-year-old appeared on trial with New York on June 24, six days before his contract at Liverpool ran out.
Williams made his first-team debut with Liverpool in 2020-21 under then-manager Jurgen Klopp, who, for now, is still the head of global sport at Red Bull International. But the last five years have mostly comprised of loans elsewhere in the United Kingdom, from Swansea to Blackpool, to Port Vale and Morecambe.
There is still no indication whether or not Williams will stay with New York, though, as head coach Michael Bradley admitted there are numerous moving parts that need to be addressed before potentially approaching contract talks.
“We’ve enjoyed having him fit in in a really good way,” Bradley said. “We’re still trying to piece everything together. Not just in Rhys’ case, but from a bigger picture perspective in terms of how we use the summer window, where we are in terms of salary cap and international spot. You name it, everything that building a squad in Major League Soccer entails. We’ve really enjoyed having him with us. He’s made training better, and so we’ll continue to see how things evolve over the next period.”
Red Bull head of sport Julian de Guzman made it known last month that he is looking to improve his team’s defense during the summer transfer window, which opens on July 13. Justin Che and Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty look like bona fide stalwarts to build upon, but the rest of the depth is suspect, whether that be Dylan Nealis, Tim Parker, or Robert Voloder. New York signed Colombian center back Julian Bazan earlier this year, but he has yet to appear with the first team.
Despite sitting in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, Red Bull has conceded 32 goals in 15 matches and has a minus-7 goal differential.
For more on Emil Forsberg, Rhys Williams, and Red Bull New York, visit AMNY.com
