“I want to be the best version of myself. I wake up every morning and try to improve, even by just 1%.”
— Anthony Elanga
Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Anthony David Junior Elanga |
| Nickname | Elanga |
| Profession | Footballer |
Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) |
| Weight (approx.) | 70-75 kg (154-165 lbs) |
| Eye Colour | Dark brown |
| Hair Colour | Black |
Football | |
| First Professional Goal | 23 May 2021 against Wolves (age 19 years, 2 months, and 11 days) |
| International Debut | 24 March 2022 for Sweden against Czech Republic in a 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Play-off |
| First International Goal | 5 June 2022 against Norway in the UEFA Nations League |
| Jersey Number | – #21 (for Premier League club Nottingham Forest) – #11 (for the Sweden national team)  – #36 (for Manchester United during the 2021-3 seasons)  |
| Position | Right Winger |
| Clubs | – Nottingham Forest (2023 – Present) – Manchester United (2021-2023) – Manchester United U21 (2014-2021) |
| Transfers and Loans | – 25 July 2023: Manchester United to Nottingham Forest (£15 million) |
| Coach/Mentor | Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Erik ten Hag, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Joseph Elanga |
| Notable Records | – Scored Manchester United’s 500th goal in European Cup/UEFA Champions League history – One of the Youngest Manchester United Players to Score in Champions League Knockout Stage – Scored on Final Day of His Debut Premier League Season – One of Nottingham Forest’s Top Creators in 2024/25 Season |
| Awards, Honours, Achievements | Club Honours – EFL Cup Winner (with Manchester United): 2022–23 – FA Cup Runner-up (Manchester United): 2022–23 – UEFA Europa League Runner-up (Manchester United): 2020–21 Individual Honours – Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year (Manchester United Academy): 2019–20 – Premier League Young Player of the Season (Nottingham Forest): Winner for 2024–25 – Nottingham Forest Player of the Month (December 2024) – Nominated for Premier League Young Player of the Season (2024–25) – Nominated for Premier League Player of the Month (March 2025) |
Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 27 April 2002 |
| Age (as of 2025) | 23 Years |
| Birthplace | Hyllie, Malmö, Sweden |
| Zodiac sign | Taurus |
| Nationality | Swedish |
| Hometown | Malmö, Sweden |
| School | Hyde High School (Greater Manchester, England) |
| College/University | Did not attend |
| Religion | Christian (Catholic faith) |
| Ethnicity | Cameroonian and Swedish |
| Hobbies | Playing games like Uno and Monopoly with family and friends, Practicing Yoga, Reading |
| Controversies | – Racist Abuse Incident Elanga reported being racially abused during a Sweden Under-21 match against Italy in October 2021. [1] – Object Thrown by Spectator During a Premier League match against Leeds United on February 20, 2022, Elanga was struck in the head by a coin thrown from the stands by Leeds fans after Manchester United’s Fred scored. [2] |
| Social Media | – Instagram – X (Twitter) – TikTok |
Relationship & More | |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Girlfriend | Current Relationship China Navana (an eyebrow stylish) Dating Period: 2021 – present  |
Family | |
| Parents | Father – Joseph Elanga (a former professional footballer who played as a defender) Mother – Daniella Elanga (also originally from Cameroon, Daniella played women’s football for the Cameroon national team, though specific details about her career are limited)  |
Favorites | |
| Footballer(s) | Thierry Henry, Sir Bobby Charlton |
| Food | kebab pizza, pepperoni pizza, kebab wraps |
| Drink | NOCCO |
Financial Status | |
| Salary (approx.) | £1.3 million per annum at Nottingham Forest |
| Net Worth | £9.5 million (as of 2025) |
8 Surprising Things You Didn’t Know About Anthony Elanga
▪ Anthony Elanga once cried and hid under a table when his mother told him they were moving from Malmö, Sweden to England. He was around 11 years old and didn’t want to leave his childhood friends and environment behind, showing how emotional the transition was for him.
▪ During the COVID-19 lockdown, while club training was suspended, Elanga used traffic cones and followed YouTube videos to create his own personal training sessions in the backyard. His commitment to staying fit and sharp on his own impressed many of his coaches later.
▪ He is a fan of self-improvement and motivation books, especially those written by elite performance coaches. One of his favorite books is “Relentless” by Tim Grover, and he often reads before matches to strengthen his mindset and focus.
▪ Despite being surrounded by heavily tattooed teammates, Elanga has no tattoos on his body. This is reportedly due to his religious values and his preference for maintaining a clean, natural appearance.
▪ Before joining Manchester United’s academy, Elanga was also being watched by Manchester City scouts. City were very interested in signing him, but United made the first official approach, and he chose to join their system in 2014 at the age of 12.
▪ While many know about his father Joseph Elanga, a former Cameroon international, very few know that his mother Daniella was also a footballer. She played for a local women’s team in Sweden before stepping away from the sport to focus on raising her children.
▪ Elanga’s pre-match playlist is a mix of Afrobeats and Swedish rap. He often listens to artists like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Swedish drill rappers to get into the zone before stepping onto the pitch.
▪ Although he later played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Elanga’s original football idol growing up was Thierry Henry. He admired Henry’s composure, movement, and finishing and would often imitate his style while practicing alone as a child in Malmö.
