Elanga 'scolded' by Isak for confusion over Sweden's World Cup progression

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sweden/OQyqbHWB/"]Sweden[/a] finished a point below second-placed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/japan/ULXPdOUj/"]‌Japan[/a] in Group F, but progressed as one ‌of the higher-ranked third-placed teams.[/p][p]But [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/elanga-anthony/dOlRWlZ6/"]Elanga[/a], believing they needed a win, was pushing his teammates ‌to find a second goal and ⁠even pulled up ‌with cramp, earning himself some harsh words from ​his teammate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/isak-alexander/p41IV42c/"]Alexander Isak[/a].[/p][p][b]"He got a little scolding from me there. He was ​a little frustrated at the end of the match, and you can understand that ⁠now,"[/b] Isak told ​reporters [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/japan-ULXPdOUj/sweden-OQyqbHWB/?mid=Sl2xgtXi"]after Thursday's match[/a].[/p][image alt="How Group F ended" id="00e7ea0d-4aee-41ad-b2fb-deb07f375818" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="50892cd6-0c7f-41da-9e32-0036471ed352" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]Elanga said his teammates were trying to shout at him, but he did not know that they only needed ‌one point to qualify until the match was over.[/p][p][b]"I just shouted, come on, we can go for more... I got cramp at the end but didn't want to stop running,"[/b] he said.[/p][p]Elanga was not the only player unaware that they had qualified.[/p][p][b]"I was just as clueless," [/b]said Sweden goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zetterstrom-widell/OG2Bcuat/"]Jacob ‌Widell Zetterstrom[/a], who made his World Cup ​debut against Japan.[/p][embed guid="91cd1dd9-de5f-4176-bd17-44b071bb02d6" url="https://x.com/SkySportsNews/status/2070444332516003876" social-type="twitter" /][p]Sweden coach Graham Potter could ‌not help but smile about Elanga's confusion.[/p][p][b]"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 dear ⁠me,"[/b] he told ‌reporters.[/p][infobox id="4ccc1b10-d68f-4c97-bcf4-5e613c17c2e3" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/soccer-fifa-world-cup-2026-day-16-live-updates/IgGYHV1e/"]Follow our coverage of day 16 at the World Cup here.[/a][/b][/p]