Manchester United left-winger, Anthony Elanga has described his goal against Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 as a dream come true.
Recall that the 19-year-old Swedish winger was the savior of Manchester United on Wednesday, February 23, 2022, when he followed the Premier League side to Madrid for the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 game.
As expected, Anthony Elanga started from the bench during the Champions League match. United’s coach Ralf Rangnick introduced him in the game in the 75th minute when Atletico Madrid were enjoying a 1-0 lead over their visitors.
Within five minutes on the pitch, Anthony Elanga used his first touch of the ball to score the equalizer for Manchester United away from home. Afterward, both teams could not score, hence, the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
What coach Ralf Rangnick told Anthony Elanga
When coach Ralf Rangnick was preparing to introduce Anthony Elanga into the Champions League game against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, he told the 19-year-old winger to make the oppositions’ defenders scared.
After the game, Elanga told BT Sport that he wanted to be the best player on the pitch and appreciated the coach for helping him to do so.
“I told you how calm and cool I am whenever I am given an opportunity. I want to repay the manager and give 150% every time I step onto the pitch,” Elanga said.
“I just do what I can do, I want to be the best player on the pitch and I appreciate the boss.
“He [Rangnick] said to me to make the defenders scared and run in behind when I get the opportunity.
“I have dreamt of moments like this, scoring in the Champions League against top European teams like Atletico Madrid, [it is] a dream come true.”
Coach Ralf Rangnick hails Elanga
After the 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid, coach Rangnick hailed Anthony Elanga who scored Manchester United’s only goal in the game. The coach described the Swedish winger as a very polite and very passionate footballer.
“From the very first training session, the day before the Crystal Palace game, he just showed me,” Rangnick said. “He was showing up in the training sessions.
“He’s a very polite boy, he’s doing the right things, listens to what he should do, and is trying to put all the effort into his performances.”
“Not only the goal he scored, but he also had two or three great runs, and whenever he did that you could all of a sudden see that Atletico had problems with this kind of approach. But we have to show that on other positions as well, so not only with Anthony Elanga or one or two other players.
“We just have to play like that on every single position and if we want to proceed to the quarter-finals in a couple of weeks at Old Trafford we have to play exactly like that.”
The German tactician added: “Anthony, in all the games that he has played so far, just shows that he’s playing with all the passion, all the fun, and all the joy.
“He’s just enjoying himself on the pitch and he’s fully aware of his strengths, his assets, his weapons. He’s always trying to play and show those weapons. This is what he did again today.
Anthony Elanga’s stats at Manchester United 2021-2022 season
Anthony Elanga gained promotion to Manchester United’s senior team on July 1, 2021, after spending over six years in the Manchester United youth system.
Since the 2021-2022 season, the Swedish winger has scored 8 goals and provided three assists in 24 games in all competitions.
Elanga’s contract with Manchester United and net worth
After signing a five-year deal with Manchester United in 2020 which was earning him £5,500-per-week (£286,000 per year), Anthony Elanga signed a contract extension with Manchester United recently which will keep him at the club until June 30, 2026.
At the time of publishing this report, it was not clear whether the 19-year-old winger is still earning £5,5000-per-week at United or an improved wages. According to reports, Elanga’s net worth is one million dollars.
Is Anthony Elanga a Cameroonian?
Anthony Elanga is a Cameroonian because his father, Joseph Elanga who is a retired Cameroon international is from the West African country.
However, the Manchester United winger was born in the Hyllie ward of Malmö (now part of Väster) in Sweden which makes him Sweden by birth.
Anthony Elanga chose to play for Sweden instead of Cameroon. He has played for Sweden’s under-17 and under-21 teams but is yet to play for the country’s senior national team.
