Out-of-the-loop Elanga: Sweden qualified, he mourned their elimination

He became a national hero without even realizing it. A bizarre scene unfolded after the World Cup match between Japan and Sweden, as Anthony Elanga walked off the pitch disappointed despite his team securing a place in the Round of 16. You might be wondering why. The answer is surprisingly simple: he had no idea Sweden had qualified.

In fact, they might not have if it weren't for the Newcastle winger. Japan took the lead early in the first half through Daizen Maeda, leaving Sweden stuck on just three points – a tally that likely wouldn't have been enough to reach the knockout stage.

Japan and Sweden both reach World Cup last 32 after Elanga’s equaliser seals draw

However, Elanga soon produced a stunning long-range strike that ultimately earned Sweden a priceless draw and, as it turned out, a spot in the last 16. The only problem was that Elanga didn't realize just how important his goal was.

The former Manchester United winger was convinced Sweden needed to win. In the closing stages, instead of helping his teammates keep possession and see out the result, he kept charging forward and urging everyone to attack.

"I was just shouting, 'Come on, let's get one more goal!' I'm happy we went through, but when the final whistle blew, I didn't know that a draw was enough," Elanga admitted.

He added that Sweden assistant coach Sebastian Larsson had been trying to get the message across. "I think they were trying to shout it to me," Elanga said.

His teammate Alexander Isak could hardly believe it when he found out after the match that Elanga had been unaware of the situation.

"I went over to the media and asked if it was true. Unfortunately, it was. I gave him a bit of a telling-off. He seemed frustrated at the end of the game, and now I understand why," the Liverpool striker said.

Sweden captain Victor Lindelof revealed that the squad had held a meeting before the match where the team's leaders went through every possible qualification scenario. "Speaking from experience, it's easy to doze off a little during meetings. It looks like he wasn't fully awake," Lindelof joked.

Head coach Graham Potter laughed when he heard that Elanga had no idea what was going on.

"That explains a few things. We couldn't have been any clearer, but obviously he had something else on his mind. Bless him! It's unbelievable, really... but I love him," Potter said.

Sweden's Round of 16 opponent has not been officially confirmed yet, but after Friday morning's results it appears almost certain they will face the winner of Group I. That is expected to be France, unless Norway beat them in their meeting later tonight.

"All the teams are good, but we're ready for whatever comes next," Elanga concluded.

If Sweden end up facing either France or Norway, the Round of 16 clash will be played in New Jersey on Tuesday, June 30, with kickoff scheduled for 12:00 a.m.