Benjamin Nygren was handed one of the biggest opportunities of his career on Sunday night, and the Celtic attacker did not look out of place.
Sweden’s 5-1 World Cup victory over Tunisia saw Nygren start ahead of Anthony Elanga, and the reaction from the Swedish media suggests that decision was fully justified.
While Nygren did not register a goal or assist, the Celtic man delivered a disciplined and effective performance. The consensus from Sweden was clear. He is trusted on the World Cup stage.
Should Benjamin Nygren have been nominated for PFA Player of the Year?
Celtic star Benjamin Nygren justified Sweden’s faith
One of the biggest talking points before kick-off was that Nygren had taken the starting eleven spot ahead of Anthony Elanga, and it felt well deserved.
The Celtic attacker played 65 minutes and was involved in Sweden’s second goal as the Scandinavians produced a dominant display to move top of Group F.
The selection alone spoke volumes. Sweden trusted Nygren in a World Cup match and he rewarded that faith.
Celtic man Nygren earned praise across Swedish media
There was remarkable consistency in the verdicts that followed.
Fotbollskanalen wrote: “Felt calm with the ball and was involved in the 2-0 goal. A solid effort.”
FotbollDirekt awarded Nygren a rating of 3/5 and said: “Took the starting eleven spot ahead of Anthony Elanga, and it felt well deserved. Maybe didn’t create much, but was compact on the opponent. Took good corners. A useful effort that Sweden needed.”
GP also viewed the performance positively, stating: “He had a good first half, but fell a bit short in the second. But Nygren was clearly qualified in the biggest match he ever played in.”
Different outlets focused on different aspects of his game, but the conclusion was largely the same.
Celtic supporters can point to the numbers too
The statistics back up the positive assessments.
According to FotMob, Nygren completed 15 of his 16 passes for a 94% success rate. He also completed both of his dribble attempts, created a chance and made three passes into the final third during his 65 minutes on the pitch.
Those are not headline-grabbing numbers, but they reflect a player who used possession well and contributed to Sweden’s attacking play.
Celtic have every reason to be encouraged by Nygren
The wider context makes the performance even more encouraging. Sweden scored five goals in a World Cup match for the first time in 88 years, with Nygren part of the starting side on a memorable night.
The fact Sweden were willing to hand Nygren the role ahead of Premier League winger Anthony Elanga arguably tells supporters more than any individual statistic from the match.
Celtic supporters will not look at this display and see a player chasing headlines. They will see a player trusted at the highest level, praised by the media afterwards and capable of delivering when the pressure is greatest.
That should be an encouraging sign for Martin O’Neill and everyone at Celtic heading into the new season.
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