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7 Amazing Anthony Elanga Facts From Childhood in Sweden

Updated: Feb 1

Full Name: Anthony David Junior Elanga

Date of Birth: 27 April 2002

Place of Birth: Malmö, Sweden

Height: 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)

Position(s): Forward, winger

Current Club: Nottingham Forest

Jersey No.: 21


Anthony Elanga

There was a time when Anthony Elanga believed his story would be written in Sweden, among the familiar streets where he first chased a football, beneath the skies that had watched him grow.

But fate, as it so often does, had other plans. One moment, he was a boy in Sweden dribbling past defenders with effortless joy; the next, he was hiding under a table, his young heart aching at the thought of taking the next step that would change his life forever.



Here Are 7 Elanga Facts From Childhood in Sweden

1. He is of Mixed Heritage via His Parents, Daniella and Joseph

Anthony Elanga’s roots run deep and wide, spanning continents like the very football pitches he now graces. Born to a Swedish mother, Daniella, and a Cameroonian father, Joseph, his heritage is a vibrant blend of cultures, traditions, and footballing pedigree.



His father, a former Cameroon international, was a warrior on the pitch, a left-back, who played for Malmo and starred in the 1998 World Cup. His mother, the quiet force behind his journey, carried the wisdom of generations, making choices that would shape his destiny. It is this rich ancestry—an infusion of Scandinavian precision and African flair—that makes Elanga the electrifying presence he is today.


2. He Speaks Five Languages

Words dance effortlessly off Anthony Elanga’s tongue, shifting from one language to another like a quick step past a helpless defender. Swedish is his mother’s gift, English the tongue of his new homeland, and French a whisper from his father’s past.



Spanish and Portuguese? Those he absorbed like a sponge, simply by being around teammates, their words molding into his vocabulary as naturally as his dribbles into an attacking run.

At Nottingham Forest, he’s more than just a winger—he’s a bridge between cultures, a translator in the dressing room, a voice for those still finding their way in a foreign land. And as if five languages weren’t enough, he’s still learning, because for Elanga, standing still—linguistically or physically—is simply not an option.


Elanga's early football career began at IF Elfsborg.

3. His IF Elfsborg Experience was Vital in Shaping His Development.

Every great story has its humble beginning, and for Elanga, it wasn’t at a grand stadium but on the pitches of Sweden. IF Elfsborg was his first stage, where he learned the rhythm of the game, and where the ball became his closest companion.


A dream move to Malmö FF followed—Sweden’s footballing heartland—where he sharpened his skills under the same sky that once watched Zlatan Ibrahimović rise.



But fate had grander plans. A flight to England, a stint at Hattersley, and a fateful day when Manchester United scouts saw something special—a spark, a raw brilliance that couldn’t be ignored. And just like that, the boy from Malmö was on his way to football’s grandest theatre.

4. He Hid Under A Table when He Realised He Had to Move to England

A farewell party, pizza boxes scattered, laughter echoing—but beneath the table, young Anthony sat with his knees to his chest, wiping away tears that refused to stop falling. Leaving Sweden, his home, the land where he had first kicked a ball, felt like a cruel twist in his story.


Elanga dreamt of playing for Malmö.

His teammates cheered, and his mother stood firm, but inside, he wanted nothing more than to freeze time. Yet, as all great journeys do, this one demanded a leap of faith. So he wiped his eyes, took one last look at his childhood friends, and walked towards an unknown future. Years later, standing in front of roaring Premier League crowds, he’d look back and smile—because sometimes, the greatest adventures begin with a reluctant goodbye.


He told the Sun in 2023: “I’d just been signed by Malmo and was looking forward to being developed within their academy. But after six weeks, Mum told us we were moving to England because she felt there were better opportunities for us there. I won’t lie, there were tears. Before we moved we went back to my old club Elfsborg for a presentation night and my mum bought pizzas for everyone.



“It was very emotional and when it was my turn to get my presentation I cried. When I wiped my tears away and looked up there was a club shirt which they had all signed and presented to me.

“It was quite a sad time but at the end of the day you have got to take risks, haven’t you? I felt as though I could have stayed in Sweden. But when your mum says you have got to go, you have got to go! “And she was proved right in the end.”


Elanga learnt that football, much like life, demands bold leaps into the unknown.


5. He won the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award in 2020

In the hallowed halls of Manchester United’s academy, names like Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, and Gary Neville are etched into legend. In 2020, another name joined their ranks—Anthony Elanga. Winning the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award was more than just an accolade; it was an anointing.


It told the world that he wasn’t just another talented youth but a star in the making. That season, he dazzled, scoring goals, turning heads, and earning the kind of whispers that precede a player bound for the upper echelons of English football.



6. He Has Been a Key Part of Nottingham Forest’s Resurgence

Nottingham Forest is a club with history—a sleeping giant that has longed for a return to glory. Enter Anthony Elanga, a player with fire in his boots and belief in his heart. His pace, his hunger, his willingness to chase lost causes—these are the traits that fans adore, the qualities that turn matches on their head.

He doesn’t just play for Forest; he fights for them. And as they battle to reestablish themselves among the Premier League elite, Elanga is not just part of the resurgence—he is at the heart of it, currently under Nuno Espirito Santo. Additionally, Elanga is one of the fastest players in the 2024-25 Premier League season.


Elanga has been a key part of Nottingham Forest’s resurgence

7. He Represents Sweden but was Eligible for Cameroon and England

Three nations, three possible futures. Anthony Elanga could have chosen England, the land that nurtured him. He could have chosen Cameroon, his father’s homeland, where football is played with fire in the soul. But he chose Sweden—the land of his birth, the place that shaped his earliest dreams.

It wasn’t just a decision of nationality; it was one of identity. When he pulls on that yellow jersey, he carries the echoes of his past, the sacrifices of his parents, the journey that brought him here. And as he lines up for Sweden, he doesn’t just play as a citizen—he plays as a storyteller, his every touch writing the next chapter of his incredible tale.




7 Amazing Anthony Elanga Facts From Childhood in Sweden
7 Amazing Anthony Elanga Facts From Childhood in Sweden


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