MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) — 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.
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Sweden's Yasin Ayari (18) celebrates with Anthony Elanga (11) and Mattias Svanberg (19) after scoring their fifth goal during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Sweden and Tunisia in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)
Sweden's Yasin Ayari (18) celebrates after scoring his team's fifth goal during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Sweden and Tunisia in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
Sweden's Yasin Ayari (18) is congratulated by teammates after scoring his team's fifth goal during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Sweden and Tunisia in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
Sweden's Yasin Ayari (18) is congratulated by teammates after scoring his team's fifth goal during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Sweden and Tunisia in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
The 22-year-old Ayari was born in Solna, Sweden, to a Tunisian father, Azzouz Ayari.
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.
Maya Koluder-Ramirez is a student in the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.
AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
Sweden's Yasin Ayari (18) celebrates with Anthony Elanga (11) and Mattias Svanberg (19) after scoring their fifth goal during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Sweden and Tunisia in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)
Sweden's Yasin Ayari (18) celebrates after scoring his team's fifth goal during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Sweden and Tunisia in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
Sweden's Yasin Ayari (18) is congratulated by teammates after scoring his team's fifth goal during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Sweden and Tunisia in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
Sweden's Yasin Ayari (18) is congratulated by teammates after scoring his team's fifth goal during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Sweden and Tunisia in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) — The leaders of the world’s richest democracies are talking about how to tackle some of the world’s biggest problems this week, but hot mics at the G7 summit revealed that conversations also covered lighter fare. Sports. Cigarettes. The weather. And something about Greenland?
As world leaders made their way into conference rooms at a lakeside resort, microphones set up for their weighty discussions about war and trade often caught off-the-cuff banter.
Trump strode in late to the final day of talks, and proclaimed “I'm the boss!” to his counterparts sitting around a large oval conference table, waiting to get started on a discussion about concerns that China is flooding export markets with subsidized products. The leaders laughed.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’ s smoking habits were the subject of a hot-mic moment on Tuesday. Asked by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz if she had already had a cigarette that morning, Meloni revealed that she hadn’t smoked “since the first of May.”
Her turn against tobacco prompted enthusiastic congratulations from leaders of Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan and the European Union. Meloni raised her hands in celebration. Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had a question for her.
“Do you have a patch?” Carney asked, grabbing his own arm.
With the World Cup underway in the United States, Mexico and Canada, soccer naturally became a fallback of discussion.
As leaders gathered for lunch on Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron and others weighed in. Someone shouted “Allez les bleus,” the cheer for the French team. Another leader can be heard talking about the recent Champions League victory by Paris-Saint Germain.
U.S. President Donald Trump turned attention to the UFC cage-match event he hosted at the White House on Sunday. Trump, who sat ringside on his 80th birthday, spoke glowingly about Dana White, the CEO of UFC.
At another point on Tuesday, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer effused about Cape Verde’s surprise 0-0 draw against World Cup champion Spain. “Quite remarkable, I have to say,” he said.
In a moment of intrigue, Trump was caught on microphone talking with European Council President António Costa.
“You understand?” Trump said before pausing and looking squarely at Costa. “Greenland.” The start and end of the conversation was unclear.
European politicians have been outraged by Trump’s threats to acquire Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of Denmark.
Trump added some levity after Macron appeared to have left his watch behind when he departed the group’s working lunch on Tuesday. Carney drew attention to it, saying, “He’s left his watch here. We’ve got his watch.”
“Give me it if he left, gimme,” Trump chimed in, drawing laughs from the group.
There were a few instances of gift-giving diplomacy.
Macron gave all seven of his counterparts personalized bicycles to promote the Cycling World Championships scheduled next year in the French Alps, according to David Lappartient, president of the Union Cycliste Internationale, on social media.
There was no hot mic moment to detect the reaction of Trump, who is not known to bike and has joked about doing minimal exercise beyond regular golf outings.
Merz, who recently sparred with Trump over the war in Iran, presented Trump with a German national team soccer jersey bearing Trump’s name and the number 47. Trump raised it and smiled for a photo before setting it aside.
Merz posted a photo of the exchange on social media and offered a pointed message: “After all, we’re on the same team.”
Binkley reported from Washington and Superville from Geneva. Associated Press writer Sam McNeil in Brussels contributed to this report.
French President Emmanuel Macron stands next to President Donald Trump, left, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, center, at a working lunch with leaders of G7 and the Middle East in Evian-les-Bains, France, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (Christian Hartmann/Pool Photo via AP)
President Donald Trump listens to European Council President Antonio Costa, left, at a working lunch with leaders of G7 and the Middle East in Evian-les-Bains, France, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (Christian Hartmann/Pool Photo via AP)
President Donald Trump, Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, European Council President Antonio Costa and Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni attend a working lunch with leaders of G7 and the Middle East in Evian-les-Bains, France, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (Christian Hartmann/Pool Photo via AP)
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni attends a working lunch with leaders of G7 and the Middle East, in Evian-les-Bains, France, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool Photo via AP)
U.S. President Donald Trump, right, holds up a jersey with the number 47 on it as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz look on during a working session at the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, Pool)
