Sweden kicked off their campaign in the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026 with a bang, as they claimed a thumping 5-1 win over Tunisia on Monday, June 15 at the Estadio Monterrey in Mexico. Sweden's midfielder Yasin Ayari delivered a sensational performance after scoring the opening goal in the seventh minute.
Sweden run riot against Tunisia
The first goal by Yasin turned out to be the second-fastest of the ongoing competition with an amazing strike from outside the penalty area. The chance emerged from a longball by Victor Lendelof and was eventually buried by Yasin in the seventh minute.
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The midfielder smashed a goal again in the dying stages of the game. In the 95th minute, he was carrying the ball through the midfield before being given too much space by the Tunisian defense, Ayari smashed a powerful right-footed shot and flew accurately into the bottom left corner of the net. It turned out to be the last goal of the game from Sweden's epic show.
Why did Ayari refuse to celebrate against Tunisia?
Despite scoring an important goal in the game, Ayari refused to celebrate against Tunisia, which became one of the talking points after the conclusion. The star Brighton midfielder was born in Sweden, to a Moroccon-Tunisian family, and with his father being Tunisian, he was eligible to play for Tunisia before eventually opting to represent Sweden in international football.
Initially, the midfielder played in Sweden's youth ranks before making his maiden appearance in the senior international side in 2023. While he ultimately chose to play for Sweden, he still shares an important connection with Tunisia.
His response was similar to some legends who decline to celebrate after scoring goals against their former clubs, which is an act of loyalty and love.
After a dominating win over Tunisia, the Swedish team will lock horns against Netherlands on Saturday, June 20 at the NRG Stadium in Houston. Texas. Netherlands will enter the clash after securing a 2-2 draw against Japan in their campaign opener.