Sweden were beaten 5-0 by the Netherlands on Saturday in a crucial match, but Anthony Elanga provided their main bright spot. The Newcastle winger came off the bench in the 56th minute, scored within two minutes, and then produced a striking dribble that quickly went viral online.
Elanga received the ball on the wing, beat Micky van de Ven with a feint and a nutmeg, and drew widespread admiration on social media. One X post said he had “destroyed Van de Ven” and asked, “How the hell did this happen?!” After getting past the defender, Elanga delivered a ball into the middle of the box, but it did not find a teammate.
Thierry Henry was among those who praised the Sweden forward. “The moment Elanga came onto the pitch, Sweden suddenly became a dangerous team,” Henry said. “His explosiveness completely changed the game. Every time he got the ball he went straight at the defenders, took players on one against one, and forced the Netherlands to defend deeper.”
Henry added that Elanga’s influence went beyond the goal. He said the winger’s dribbling, willingness to run in behind and attack defenders gave Sweden what they had lacked from the start, and that football can be simple when a team has a fast, unpredictable player. Henry also questioned the decision not to start him, saying Elanga is too important to Sweden to be used only as a substitute, especially when they are chasing a result.
