Erling Haaland’s bobbling blonde hair is usually the easiest thing to spot on a football pitch — charging into open space, defenders scrambling. On Sunday he barely had room to move, yet he still scored twice as Norway beat Brazil 2-1 to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time.
The 25-year-old only had four touches inside the box in the last-16 tie. But with one of them, 79 minutes in, he broke the deadlock. Eleven minutes later, a low drive from outside the box sealed the win and underlined the clinical edge that makes him one of the most feared strikers in world football. The goals moved him level with Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi at the top of the Golden Boot standings with seven goals.
“Erling Haaland scores twice as Norway beat Brazil 2-1 to reach first World Cup quarter-final, setting up England clash.”
“You don’t see any other player doing that,” former Scotland winger Pat Nevin said on BBC Radio 5 Live. “There was not a chance there. There wasn’t a half chance, quarter chance. Nothing.”
Former England striker Ian Wright added on ITV: “People constantly talk about how many touches he has. He didn’t have to have a lot of touches.”
Haaland’s double meant Norway sealed a historic victory over the South Americans. Competing at a World Cup for the first time since 1998, Stale Solbakken’s side now stand just three wins away from an unlikely world title. Next up: England, who beat Mexico 3-2 in a thrilling last-16 encounter.
“He has given the whole country belief that they can go really far in this competition,” said Wayne Rooney on BBC One.
Haaland has delivered on the biggest stage with seven goals in four games. He scored twice against both Iraq and Senegal in the group stage, was rested for a 4-1 defeat by France, and scored the late winner against Ivory Coast in the last 32. In total, he has 62 goals in 54 senior internationals — averaging a goal every 71 minutes — and only six have been penalties. He has scored in each of his past 14 competitive appearances for Norway, claiming 27 goals in that run.
“Haaland is a massive character, a personality,” former England defender Gary Neville told ITV. “Sometimes it’s said ‘he’s never done it on the world stage’ and that’s now been removed.”
With the Manchester City striker in their ranks, Norway will believe anything is possible. England must now find a way to stop him.