Lina Hurtig made history Sunday when her penalty kick pushed Sweden past the U.S. women’s national team in the Round of 16. Her game-winner sealed the USWNT’s earliest ever exit from a World Cup.
Now, some fans in Sweden are calling for Hurtig to get a tattoo of the iconic moment. Hurtig would be open to the idea, she said — but only if her team goes on to win its first World Cup title. First, Sweden has to knock off Japan in a quarterfinal matchup at 3:30 a.m. ET Friday.
The moment goal line technology showed that Lina Hurtig's penalty was in 🤯 🥳🇸🇪 how far will Sweden reach in the World Cup?
— Football is Everywhere (@Ftblisevrywhr) August 6, 2023
Video is taken on the square in Swedish city Eskilstuna where fans gathered outside to watch the game together 🇸🇪#WWC2023 #SwedenvsUSA pic.twitter.com/Mkl9yADkU1
“I’ve said that we have to beat Japan now, otherwise it’s all for nothing,” Hurtig said in an interview on Swedish radio. “But if we win gold it’s not impossible.”
Hurtig entered the game against the USWNT in the 81st minute, and then stepped up the line during penalty kicks with the teams knotted at 4.
Her kick did not come without controversy. USWNT goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher dove to her right and got both hands on the ball, then punched it away as it hurtled backward. But an image from FIFA’s goal-line technology showed the ball had crossed over the line by millimeters, triggering celebration for Sweden.
As the USWNT players sulked, Hurtig was mobbed by her teammates. Sweden has appeared in all nine Women’s World Cups but has never won the tournament.
“The (goal-line) picture I’ve seen a lot, the penalty not so much,” Hurtig said. “I don’t want to see it again, I get a little pain in my stomach actually, there’s so many feelings that come up when I see it.”