Anthony Elanga’s equalizer helped Sweden qualify for the World Cup round of 32 after a 1-1 draw with Japan, but as his teammates celebrated the result, the striker slumped to the ground in frustration, thinking he had failed to qualify.
Sweden finished one point below second-placed Japan in Group F, but were promoted as one of the higher-ranked, third-placed teams.
But Elanga, believing that a win was needed, pushed his teammates to find a second goal and even retired with cramp, which earned him some harsh words from his teammate Alexander Isak.
«He got a little scolding from me there. He was a little frustrated at the end of the game and you can understand that now,» Isak told reporters after Thursday’s game.
Elanga said his teammates tried to yell at him, but he didn’t know the team needed just one point to qualify until the match was over.
“I just shouted: come on, we can go for more… I got cramped at the end, but I didn’t want to stop running,” he said.
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Elanga wasn’t the only player who didn’t know he had qualified.
“I just had the slightest idea,” said Swedish goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom, who made his World Cup debut against Japan.
Swedish coach Graham Potter couldn’t help but smile at Elanga’s confusion.
«It couldn’t have been clearer for him. He’s clearly thinking about something else, bless him. I love him right now, but dear me,» he told reporters.
Published on June 26, 2026
