2026 World Cup: He Bursts into Tears at the Final Whistle While His Teammates Celebrate—Here’s the Explanation

The scene broadcast worldwide at the end of the Japan-Sweden match—a 2026 World Cup game that ended 1-1 and sent both teams through to the round of 16—was almost surreal. Anthony Elanga, who scored Sweden’s equalizer, collapsed to the ground in tears, convinced that his team’s World Cup run had just come to an end. Around him, however, his teammates were celebrating: the draw had secured their spot in the round of 16. It was a bizarre scene that went viral in a matter of minutes—and now finally has an explanation.

The Newcastle United winger, who scored the goal that brought the match back to life and kept their qualification hopes alive after Japan had taken the lead, didn’t know that a single point would be enough to advance. “In stoppage time, I was yelling, ‘Come on, we have to score another one,’” he told the Sweden Herald. “I didn’t know we’d already qualified. At the end of the game, I was devastated, but then I heard someone shout that a draw was enough.”

Elanga explained that he had let himself get carried away by the adrenaline and the belief that a win was needed to stay in the running. Hence his emotional breakdown at the final whistle, when he thought the World Cup adventure was over. “I’m happy with our performance—it was much better than against the Netherlands. We could have scored more,” he added.

Sweden must now wait for the results from the other groups to find out who its opponent will be in the Round of 16: the bracket could pit them against Germany on June 29 in Foxborough, the winner of Group I (France or Norway) on June 30 in East Rutherford, or Switzerland on July 2 in Vancouver.