Anthony Elanga was born on 27 April 2002 in Malmö, Sweden, and moved to England as a child after his family settled in Manchester. He joined Manchester United's academy at the age of 12 and progressed steadily through the youth ranks, winning the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award in 2019–20. He made his competitive senior debut for United in May 2021 against Leicester City, and scored his first goal for the club on the final day of that same season against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
A quick, direct winger with an eye for the big occasion, Elanga marked himself out at United with a memorable Champions League equaliser against Atlético Madrid in February 2022. After two seasons at Old Trafford, he joined Nottingham Forest in July 2023 for a reported £15 million. At Forest he developed considerably, contributing a hat-trick of assists in a 7–0 win over Brighton in February 2025 and scoring the winner against Manchester United in April 2025, finishing the 2024–25 season with a career-high six league goals.
In July 2025, Elanga made a high-profile move to Newcastle United for a reported £55 million, where the club will look to him as a key attacking option.
At international level, Elanga represents Sweden, having made his senior debut in March 2022 during World Cup qualifying against the Czech Republic. He scored his first senior international goal against Norway in June 2022 and has gone on to become a regular part of the Sweden setup.