Ayari didn’t celebrate out of respect for Tunisia, his father’s homeland.

Yasin Ayari was the star of the show as Sweden hammered Tunisia 5-1 in their FIFA World Cup opener.

The Brighton midfielder produced a man of the match display(Isak won the award officially), scoring twice and running the game from midfield. His first goal was an absolute thunderbolt and could already be a contender for goal of the tournament. Yet what caught many viewers by surprise was what happened next. Ayari chose not to celebrate.

The reason lies in his deep connection to Tunisia.

Why Ayari refused to celebrate

Ayari’s father, Azzouz, is Tunisian, meaning the midfielder was playing against the country of his family’s roots. Out of respect for Tunisia and his heritage, he kept his emotions in check after opening the scoring with a spectacular strike.

His first goal was not the only highlight of the evening. Deep into injury time, Ayari produced another stunning effort to complete his brace and put the finishing touch on Sweden’s dominant performance. This time there was no holding back. The Brighton midfielder celebrated with his teammates after finding the net for a second time, with the result already beyond doubt at 5-1.

His connection to Tunisia runs even deeper. The Tunisian Football Federation approached Ayari about switching international allegiance in 2021 and the player was reportedly interested in representing the North African nation.

According to journalist Ben Jacobs, it was his father who convinced him to stay with Sweden.

“My son wanted to play for Tunisia, but I asked him to represent Sweden instead, as it is the country that welcomed and developed him. It was his duty to give something back,” Azzouz later told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet.

Morocco could also have laid claim to Ayari, with his mother hailing from the newly crowned Africa Cup of Nations champions. Instead, the midfielder ultimately chose Sweden, the country where he was born and developed as a footballer.

Even Tunisia head coach Sabri Lamouchi spoke warmly about the player before the tournament.

“I know him and his brother. He made a choice, I have a lot of respect, and he’s a very good player,” Lamouchi said.

Sweden run riot in World Cup opener

On the pitch, Sweden were relentless from start to finish.

Ayari’s early brilliance set the tone before Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres added further goals. Omar Rekik briefly gave Tunisia hope when he pulled one back, but the North Africans never looked capable of mounting a comeback.

Mattias Svanberg got on the scoresheet in the second half before Ayari completed his brace in stoppage time with another spectacular strike.

It was also a miserable evening for Tunisia’s goalkeeper, who endured a difficult night marked by costly mistakes and questionable positioning as Sweden repeatedly exposed the defence.

The 5-1 victory represents Sweden’s biggest World Cup win since 1938 and puts them in a commanding position in Group F.

GN