EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Victor Lindelöf's wife fell off a raging bull — a mechanical one.
Maja Nilsson Lindelöf posted an Instagram video Thursday of herself getting tossed from the bar-based bovine while Sweden was playing in Texas during the World Cup, adding: “Still a bit drunk while posting this, might delete later.”
“She sent it to me,” Sweden captain Victor Lindelöf said Monday ahead of his team's round of 32 match against two-time champion
France at the World Cup. “It was a fun video and it would be fun to try it out, as well.”
Founder of the fashion brand Lis Bonne Atelier, Maja married Victor in 2018, when he was with Manchester United. In the 59-second video, she first climbs the bull backward, alights to consult with friends before remounting. She holds on for a while before getting tossed onto her back.
Victor Lindelöf said he would be willing to try to match her feat.
“It looked difficult, but I’m up for the challenge,” he said.
After beating Tunisia 5-1, losing to the Netherlands by the same score and rallying for a 1-1 draw against Japan, Sweden earned the matchup with France, a tournament favorite that topped its group with three straight wins.
“We have to play the game of our lives, clearly, and the boys are in a really good place, I think, to be able to do that,” Sweden coach Graham Potter said.
Lindelöf, who turns 32 next month, shifted from his usual spot on the backline to defensive midfield against Japan. Potter praised his leadership.
“It’s not easy to deal with a 5-1 defeat in a tournament. It can destabilize a lot of teams,” Potter said. “So the fact that we had the strength and the ability to get the point we needed against Japan and perform in the manner we did says a lot about the environment and the culture of the team. I think that’s a lot to do with Victor’s leadership. So I’ve been super-impressed with that since I’ve been in the team.”
Lindelöf was especially pleased his children will attend Tuesday's match at MetLife Stadium. His wife posted photos Monday from Times Square in New York.
“I’ve been looking forward to having this opportunity and we were able to resolve it in the end so that they’re here in New York,” he said through a translator.
Lindelöf started several matches in midfield this spring for Aston Villa. Shifted to midfield against Japan, he left in the 87th minute because of leg cramps.
“It's a huge difference between playing in the midfield versus playing in defense. You have to be moving constantly,” he said. “I don’t think I can handle 90 minutes in the midfield. I don’t t know if I’ve got the legs for that anymore but it’s fun to play there. Let's see if I can handle 90 minutes of that.”
Defender Isak Hien will miss the match with a hamstring injury that forced him from last Thursday's game against Japan in the 37th minute.
___
See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
