The decisive moment came midway through the first half when Swedish youngster Lucas Bergvall whipped a dangerous cross into the Villarreal penalty area. His delivery caused panic, forcing a mistake from the Spanish side’s goalkeeper, who deflected the ball into his own net. It wasn’t the most glamorous of goals, but it was enough to give Spurs three valuable points on opening night.
Manager Thomas Frank may not have been thrilled with the overall performance of his team, as Tottenham struggled to control large parts of the game, but he will take comfort in securing an important win to start their European journey. For the fans inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, however, the evening was largely about seeing one of their brightest young stars shine on the biggest stage.
Wayne Rooney praises Bergvall’s maturity
Speaking after the game as part of Prime Video’s punditry team, former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney singled out Bergvall for praise. Rooney admitted that it is easy to forget just how young the Swedish midfielder is given the composure and intelligence he plays with.
“Sometimes you really forget how young he is,” Rooney explained. “He played a lot of games last season already, and the maturity with which he carries himself is fantastic. This season, he’s showing different sides to his game. Last year he was used a bit deeper in midfield, but to step into the number ten role is not easy. It requires awareness, movement, and confidence to get on the ball in the right areas. Tonight he did that brilliantly, and that will only help his development going forward.”
Rooney’s glowing review came on a night where Bergvall was awarded Man of the Match on his Champions League debut — a remarkable achievement for a player who only turned 19 earlier this year. His performance further reinforced the view of Alan Shearer, who recently described Bergvall as a midfielder with “unbelievable technique.”
Michael Carrick impressed with Bergvall in a new role
Rooney wasn’t the only former Premier League star impressed. Michael Carrick, a former Tottenham and Manchester United midfielder himself, also heaped praise on Bergvall for his intelligence in playing the advanced number ten position.
Carrick, who was interviewing the teenager after the game, highlighted how naturally Bergvall has adapted to his new role. “I thought you were fantastic, Lucas, so well played,” Carrick said. “When you play in that high position, just behind the opposition’s midfield, do you find yourself tempted to drop deeper to get more touches, or are you comfortable staying higher up the pitch to make those forward runs?”
Bergvall responded confidently: “When I play as a 10, we need those runs forward and I think I did that well both tonight and in the last game. Of course, I’ve played plenty of minutes as a six or eight in the past, but this season I’ve been asked to play further forward and I feel I’m improving with every game.”
Carrick applauded the young Swede’s answer, noting how difficult it can be for young players to show patience when they want to be on the ball. “It’s not easy, especially when you’re young, because you want to get involved constantly. But I thought you showed real maturity tonight, making the right runs at the right times. Even if you didn’t see as much of the ball as you’d like, you showed great composure and an excellent understanding of the role.”
A star in the making
For Tottenham supporters, the excitement around Bergvall is only growing. Already praised for his versatility, work ethic, and natural technical ability, the Swedish international seems to be taking each challenge in his stride. Having impressed in the Premier League, he is now beginning to make his mark in European competition as well.
While Spurs still have much to improve if they want to make a deep run in the Champions League, the emergence of Bergvall as a key figure in Thomas Frank’s squad could prove to be one of the most important storylines of their season.
