Sweden star goes viral after misunderstanding following World Cup Match

FootballSports
26 Jun 2026 • 10:36 PM MYT
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Anthony Elanga has gone viral after he was spotted looking distraught following Sweden's 1-1 draw with Japan last night, unaware that it was enough to see Sweden advance to the knockout stages.

Sweden's manager Graham Potter saw the funny side of Elanga's sadness and seemed baffled at how the former Manchester United player had got it so mixed up.

Elanga scored a sensational long-range curler, which equalised the score against Japan and earned Sweden their fourth point of the competition.

However, he clearly was under the impression that the 1-1 draw was not the result they needed, despite the fact that it sealed one of the spots in the round of 32 as one of the top eight third-placed teams.

He was seen sitting down on the pitch, throwing his arms around, looking crestfallen with his head in his hands after the full-time whistle.

Graham Potter later on addressed this show of emotion after the game.

He jokingly said: "That explains a few things then, 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, deary me."

Image from: Sweden star goes viral after misunderstanding following World Cup Match
Anthony Elanga | Source: REUTERS

Last night's curled effort was Elanga's second goal of this World Cup and puts his goal tally above the likes of both Alexander Isak, and Viktor Gyokeres as he is currently his country's top scorer in the tournament.

His other goal was in Sweden's 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands.

As it stands, Sweden are currently the third-best third-placed team and secured their passage to the knockout stages with four points and a goal difference of zero.

Their own 5-1 massacre against Tunisia ended up cancelling out their humiliating defeat against the Dutch.

Image from: Sweden star goes viral after misunderstanding following World Cup Match
Graham Potter saw the funny side of Elanga's confusion | Source: GETTY

Potter's side adds to the list of teams above, Steve Clarke's Scotland, in the third-place rankings.

The Tartan army are in large danger of being ousted out of the tournament, with surrounding results such as South Africa's triumph over South Korea, not going the way the Scots would have initially hoped.

Clarke believes his side have not done enough to qualify, saying they are "going home" after their thumping loss to Brazil.

He said: "You give a team like Brazil the chances that we gave them in the game, you expect to get punished. And that's what happened. I think we're probably going home.

Image from: Sweden star goes viral after misunderstanding following World Cup Match
Steve Clarke | Source: REUTERS

"We know they're deadly in the attacking third of the pitch, and we gave them for sure the first two goals, probably the third goal as well.

"So we gave them the goals, but on the counter of that, they also missed a few chances, and Angus [Gunn] had to make a few good saves.

"We created one or two chances, but nothing really clean."

Scotland will need the results from the remaining six groups to go in their favour to progress through to the last 32.

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