Elanga: The experience of participating in the World Cup will be unforgettable; it means a lot to me and my family.

Newcastle United winger Anthony Elanga recently gave an official interview to the club, reflecting on his first World Cup experience and also discussing his family, upbringing, national team journey, and the changes since joining Newcastle.

For this 24-year-old Swedish international, the 2026 World Cup is not only an important experience in his career, but also a journey about growth, responsibility, and self-discovery.

In Sweden's final group stage match against Japan, Elanga scored a crucial goal, helping his team equalize.

That was a brilliant left-footed curler.

But what he found even more unforgettable than the goal itself was the moment he looked towards the stands after scoring.

During the warm-up before the match, Elanga noticed his partner, China Navana, and their daughter Blair, born last December, sitting in the stands at AT&T Stadium in New York City. However, as the match began, he gradually focused all his attention on the game.

He didn't see his family again until he scored the equalizer.

"After I scored the equalizer, I saw someone lift my daughter into the air," Elanga recalled.

“I turned my head to look, and then looked again. I saw her, and then I had to look away because I almost burst into tears.”

Elanga said the match itself was full of emotion, and seeing her daughter there made the moment even more special.

"It was a very exciting match. But when I saw her... wow, that was really special."

He said with a laugh, "I think the people who picked her up knew exactly what they were doing; they just wanted me to cry on the court."

Fortunately, the water break during the game helped him calm down.

"Fortunately, there was a hydration break during the competition. They were still holding her up there. I could only turn around and drink some water to calm myself down."

For Elanga, having his family in person to watch his World Cup matches is a very precious memory.

“Their presence there meant a lot to me. It was truly special.”

My First World Cup Experience: A Special Moment After a Four-Year Wait

Elanga sat at a table outside Newcastle United's training ground, The KNOX, with the team's training pitch behind him.

In the interview, he displayed maturity and composure, but when talking about his World Cup experience, he still revealed the excitement unique to young players. "It was a very surreal feeling."

Elanga described his experience of participating in his first World Cup in this way.

Previously, Navana and her daughter Blair were unable to watch the Swedish team's first two matches due to scheduling conflicts.

When the Swedish team played in Mexico and Houston, their families were unable to attend.

They didn't come to AT&T Stadium in Texas until the team's crucial game against Japan.

“That was a very important match, a decisive one,” Elanga said.

June 2026 will be a special month for Elanga. Within the Swedish national team, he experienced a very close-knit team atmosphere. Besfort Zeneli, a player on the team, also impressed him greatly.

The two had known each other since they were very young.

They had played together in the youth academy of Swedish club Elfsborg when they were as young as 8 years old.

Years later, the two stood together on the World Cup stage again.

Eranga said, "It has become like a brotherhood. It was a very special time, and the bond we formed will last a lifetime."

"Honestly, this feels amazing."

Regarding the World Cup, he also expressed his feelings about the long wait. "Now I've finally experienced all of this. Waiting four years to experience a competition like this again is a very long time."

His parents shaped his values: discipline and kindness are equally important.

Before the World Cup began, Elanga talked about her upbringing and the influence of her family.

He believes that his current personality is largely due to the upbringing he received from his parents, Joseph and Daniella.

Eranga was born in Malmö, Sweden, and later lived in Borough and Manchester, England, due to family reasons. This constantly changing environment shaped his more mature personality. He said his parents taught him from a young age to maintain discipline and respect those around him.

“Actually, it’s a very simple thing,” Elanga said.

"Treat others the way you would like to be treated. I've held this belief since I was a child."

He believes that kindness cannot be faked in a short period of time. "I think some people have it, and some people don't. Of course, you can cultivate it. But you have to be disciplined. If you only behave well for two weeks and then treat others badly for the next three months, it doesn't make sense."

Eranga emphasized that even a simple act of kindness can have a huge impact on others. "A kind act may help someone, and it can have a very long-lasting effect."

However, he also stated that his friendliness did not mean he lacked competitiveness.

In the world of football, gentleness and toughness are not mutually exclusive.

In an interview, Elanga addressed a misunderstanding about him. Following Sweden's 1-1 draw with Japan, a video quickly went viral on social media.

In the video, Elanga is sitting on the pitch with a clearly angry expression, seemingly very dissatisfied with the result of the match.

Some argued at the time that Elanga might have misunderstood the World Cup format, since Sweden had already qualified for the knockout stage and would advance to the next round even with a draw against Japan. However, judging from his performance, it was hard to believe that he was simply celebrating qualification.

Elanga admitted that as a professional player, sometimes it is indeed necessary to show a stronger competitive drive.

“You absolutely need to have that,” he said. “That competitive edge is extremely important. Everyone has moments when they lose control of their emotions; the key is how long you can stay in that state.”

Elanga explained his true thoughts at the time. "I was only in that state briefly, for about ten minutes. I can actually explain that reaction. I wanted to win that game and hoped to finish the group stage with the best possible ranking. But in the end, we drew with Japan."

Elanga stated that if Sweden finishes second in their group, they could potentially face Brazil in the knockout stage.

And this is exactly what he has been looking forward to.

“If we finish second, which is a very good position, then we might face Brazil. I really hope to play against Bruno (Gumarães).

“If we win, I can even use this to tease Joelinton.”

Elanga said with a smile.

He admitted that he has always been a big fan of Brazilian football.

“I really like Brazil. I really like the way they play football.”

“That kind of ‘Samba football,’ starting from the era of Ronaldinho, Robinho, and Ronaldo, has always attracted me. I just want to play against them because there’s something special about Brazil.”

Ultimately, however, Sweden did not face Brazil.

They faced France in the knockout stage. In hindsight, Elanga should perhaps be thankful they didn't encounter France earlier. France ultimately cruised to a victory over Sweden in the round of 32, ending their World Cup journey.