Elanga scored the equaliser to help Sweden draw with Japan 1-1 and progress to the knockout stages. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Anthony Elanga’s equaliser helped Sweden qualify for the World Cup’s round of ​32 following a 1-1 draw with Japan, ‌but while his teammates were celebrating the ​result, the striker collapsed on ⁠the ground in frustration thinking it had not qualified.

Sweden finished a point below second-placed Japan ‌in Group F, but progressed as one of the higher-ranked third-placed teams.

But ‌Elanga, believing it needed a win, ‌was ⁠pushing his teammates to find a ⁠second goal and even pulled up with cramp, earning his 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 match and you can understand that ‌now,” Isak told reporters after Thursday’s match.

Elanga ​said his teammates were trying to shout at him, but he ⁠did not know that the team only needed one point to qualify until the match was ‌over.

“I just shouted, come on, we can go for more... I got cramp at the end but didn’t want to stop running,” he said.

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Elanga was not the only player unaware that they had qualified.

“I ‌was just as clueless,” said Sweden goalkeeper Jacob Widell ​Zetterstrom, who made his World Cup debut against Japan.

Sweden coach Graham Potter ⁠could not help but smile about Elanga’s confusion.

“It ⁠couldn’t have been any clearer for him. He’s obviously thinking about something ‌else, bless him. I love him at the moment, but dear me,” he ​told reporters. 

Published on Jun 26, 2026