After he opened the scoring in Sweden’s 5-1 victory over Tunisia in the World Cup on Sunday night, Yasin Ayari chose not to celebrate. Instead, he raised his hands in apology.

The gesture was a way of paying respect to his heritage. The 22-year-old Ayari was born in Solna, Sweden, to a Tunisian father, Azzouz Ayari.

Sweden vs Tunisia highlights

Ayari, who represented Sweden at the youth level, was given the chance to switch allegiances and play for Tunisia ahead of the 2022 World Cup, but he declined.

When asked about his son’s choice to represent Sweden, Azzouz Ayari told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet earlier this year that he agreed with the decision.

“No, I wanted him to play for Sweden,” Azzouz Ayari said. “He must feel like he’s giving back to the country that took care of him.”

On Saturday, Tunisia coach Sabri Lamouchi also offered support to Ayari.

“I know him and his brother,” Lamouchi said. “He made a choice, I have a lot of respect, and he’s a very good player. We wish him after the game best of luck, but that is after the game.”

In the final seconds, Ayari scored a second goal with a long-range shot to the left corner. He celebrated more enthusiastically, sliding on his knees while cupping his ear with his hand toward the Sweden fans behind the goal.

The fans certainly believe he made the right decision.

Sweden’s Yasin Ayari scored two sensational goals and Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres also got on the ​scoresheet as they cruised to a 5-1 FIFA World Cup Group F victory ‌over Tunisia on Sunday (June 14, 2026).

After scraping through to the finals after ​a dismal qualifying campaign, they responded by scoring five ⁠goals in a World Cup match for the first time since 1938 when they defeated Cuba 8-0.

Ayari – the son of a Tunisian father and a Moroccan ‌mother – put Sweden ahead in the seventh minute after goalkeeper Mouhib Chamakh fluffed his lines trying to clear under ‌pressure from Isak, and what followed set the tone for the ‌evening.

The ⁠ball fell to Gyokeres, whose shot was blocked, but ⁠Ayari picked up the loose ball and blasted home a rocket of a shot to send the yellow-clad fans in the stands into raptures, though the player’s own ​celebrations were more muted.

Set up ‌to defend and hit Sweden on the break, Tunisia then got a taste of their own medicine as they committed players forward and chased an equaliser on the half-hour mark, only to come ‌undone on the counterattack.

The Swedes won the ball in their ​own box and played it to Gyokeres, who took it on his chest and instantly released Isak down the ⁠left. The striker ran at defender Montassar Talbi before cutting inside and slotting the ball past Chamakh, who should have done better.

The Tunisians did ‌little in the opening half but still managed to pull a goal back before the break, defender Omar Rekik scoring with a superb glancing header that was his side’s first effort on target.

After a number of miscues between Isak and Gyokeres, the two clicked again on the hour mark when Isak stole the ball from Ellyes ‌Skhiri and teed up his strike partner to make it 3-1 with a simple ​finish.

Substitute Mattias Svanberg then scored straight after coming off the bench in the 84th minute. Though the goal was ⁠initially disallowed for offside, it was allowed to stand after a VAR review.

Ayari ⁠then closed the show in stoppage time with another wonder strike, firing a thunderous shot from outside the box that ‌Chamakh was powerless to stop, and this time the midfielder celebrated with abandon.

The result means Sweden top Group F on three ​points ahead of Japan and the Netherlands, who drew 2-2 earlier.