The World Cup debut could not have gone better for 22-year-old Iyari Ayari. In his first World Cup match for Sweden, he scored twice to help his side to a commanding 5-1 win over Tunisia. But it was his celebration after the first goal that drew the most attention.
In the seventh minute of the match in Monterrey, Mexico, he found the Tunisian net with a superb volley. Rather than erupting in celebration like any young footballer would after scoring, he raised both hands in a mark of respect and then dropped to his knees.
Behind it lies the Tunisian ties that run deep in his blood. Ayari’s father is Tunisian and his mother is of Moroccan descent, though he was born and raised in Sweden.
At the age of 18 he decided to represent Sweden, the country of his birth, rather than his parents’ homeland. His father fully supported the decision.
Ayari’s father, Ajjuj Ayari, said in an interview: “I wanted him to play for Sweden. He should show gratitude to the country that raised him and looked after him.”
He said Tunisia had also offered to bring Ayari into their squad. But neither father nor son gave it much weight.
Ayari took up football as a child at a club in his hometown. He later joined one of the country’s biggest clubs and quickly established himself. He then moved to a top-flight club in England, and in 2023 he made his debut for the Sweden national team.
Explaining his choice of the Sweden jersey, Ayari said he had played for various Swedish age-group teams since childhood, so representing Sweden felt natural to him.
He said it had surprised him when, after the World Cup group-stage draw, it emerged that Sweden and Tunisia had been placed in the same group. “It was truly unbelievable that we ended up in the same group,” Ayari said.
The young midfielder was the standout in Sweden’s big win over Tunisia. Alongside the first goal, he scored another remarkable goal in the fifth minute of added time.
Receiving the ball in front of the opposition goalmouth, he sent a precise shot into the far corner. After scoring his second goal on his World Cup debut, he did not hold back his joy this time, gladly accepting the applause of the jubilant Swedish supporters in the stands.
Scoring against his father’s homeland yet showing respect, and delivering a fine performance for his own country, Iyari Ayari combined the two to make a memorable World Cup debut.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report