FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023: Hurtig considers VAR penalty tattoo if Sweden wins tournament

American keeper Alyssa Naeher got both hands to Hurtig’s spot kick, but the ball made it over the line by a matter of millimetres and a FIFA VAR image showing it was a shade over the line quickly went viral.

Sweden’s Lina Hurtig celebrates with teammates at the end of a penalty shootout during the Women’s World Cup round of 16 match between Sweden and the United States in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Aug. 6, 2023. | Photo Credit: AP

Sweden’s Lina Hurtig might immortalise her shootout-winning penalty against the United States with a tattoo, but only if her country wins the World Cup, she told reporters in Auckland on Tuesday as the team prepared for their quarterfinal with Japan.

The 27-year-old Arsenal winger came off the bench in the 81st minute of the last-16 clash and got her moment of glory when she struck the seventh penalty in a wild shootout that saw the Swedes on the brink of elimination before coming from behind to win 5-4.

American keeper Alyssa Naeher got both hands to Hurtig’s spot kick, but the ball made it over the line by a matter of millimetres and a FIFA VAR image showing it was a shade over the line quickly went viral.

USA’s goalkeeper #01 Alyssa Naeher concedes the winning goal scored by Sweden’s forward #08 Lina Hurtig (unseen) in the penalty shout-out during the round of 16 football match between Sweden and USA at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium in Melbourne on August 6, 2023. | Photo Credit: AFP

“It’s just how everything went,” Hurtig told reporters. “That picture afterwards, it was so crazy. It’s so crazy that we went through on that (penalty).”

“The (VAR) picture I’ve seen a lot, the penalty not so much. 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,” Hurtig said in an interview with Swedish radio.

Reactions from home have ranged from congratulations to suggestions that she get a tattoo of the viral image of the penalty that set up Sweden for their meeting with Japan.

“I’ve said that we have to beat Japan now, otherwise it’s all for nothing,” Hurtig said. “But if we win gold, it’s not impossible.”

Sweden, which has appeared at all nine World Cup tournaments but has never won one, meets 2011 champion Japan in a quarterfinal clash at Auckland’s Eden Park on Friday.