Erling Haaland, who has been named one of the most menacing forwards in world football, was once again responsible for a clinical double to beat Brazil 2-1 to extend their run to the semi-finals, where they will play the all-round hero of the tournament Cristiano Ronaldo.
The night was a night of emotions, a night of faith and a night with indelible moments, when the Manchester City striker came ready when his country called and saved Brazil’s campaign and did the same for a blockbuster meeting between his country and ENGLAND. The Vikings of Norway, now led by three-times Champions League winner Haaland, are playing as a strong team and are looking like a real contender for the top prize in football.
Brazil were the ones who seemed to have the answer to stop Haaland for the longest time. The move was capped by Gabriel who, as the shout was given on the tackling play, had to keep the Norwegian tight and stall him, making it difficult to get him any chances inside the area. Haaland did not find it easy to pass the ball during the match and he attempted to chase a lot of long balls; certainly not for his own entertainment as he sought to make space for his team mates and runs and runs to others. However, he played only a small role and, as football has amply demonstrated, there is scant need for rare goal scorers to turn a work of sheer art into one of sheer trickery.
Finally that moment after 79 minutes came to us. Forced off Gabriel’s boot, Haaland headed past him for the winning goal for Norway. He eliminated all the doubt 11 minutes later with a classy low strike from outside the penalty area which left the Brazil goalkeeper with nothing. It’s something that Haaland has never been particularly effective at producing — but that also came with two chances for two goals and a reminder, once again, of the power in the quality of moments.
These statistics are quite truly an amazing story. Skinned in some ways at 13 passes for only 30 touches, Haaland, a forward who on any Wednesday would issue “burner” midfielders a Prime target score, was moderately underpowered.How underpowered was Haaland to be for the average forward – he was 13 passes for 30 touches at the end of the match. He missed an opportunity on clear-cut chances as his expected goals (xG) figure was only 0.39. However, the winner at the end of a football match is not the team in possession it’s the goals they can score; and Haaland is still getting better at that. His senseless perfection made what was once a close match one of the most shocking of the entire tournament.
In another achievement for the brace, Haaland moved to the seven-goal club after going head-to-head, and at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi in work for the Golden Boot. His tenure with the Norwegian national team is even more impressive with him averaging one goal for every 71 minutes as a senior national. Of those strikes, only six have come from on the box and it shows just how lethal he has proven to be when out of the box. He has now reached the 14th of his last 14 competitive goals in Norway, an incredible streak of skills which has taken less than two year.
The Norwegians’ odyssey has been extraordinary. Scandinavia’s last World Cup was in 1998 and their first qualifying stage at the tournament concluded in the Round of 16. Their arrival in North America was initially with the agenda to make a debut but few saw their way to a historic quarter final until they qualified for North America, where they stormed through the tournament favourite in their quest. That’s a disciplined, fearless side that’s capable of competing with the best in the world, and faith has been proven to help head coach Stale Solbakken get his players what he believes they need the most.
The after match celebrations were appropriate to the occasion. Now-legendary Viking Row took place with thousands of Norwegians in Viking attire with red flags in both hands who cheered on from home and beyond, as Haaland and his teammates marched on. The pictures were soon shared all over social media and became a representation of a country that had had one of its biggest sporting moments. The win was more than just qualifying into the next round for many Norwegian diehards – it was the dawn of a new footballing generation that can now take on the world’s great giants.
Enormously more complicated than many anticipated is the quarter-final situation England face, now. It was Gareth Southgate’s side who put Mexico down to give them a place in the last eight, but their top priority will be to prevent Haaland’s winner. No one was impressed with the important services he received from the nose, as he has proven this tournament so far that he can make decisions without them. He is capable of punishing even the most robust defence, one mistake, one moment of hesitation and one moment of losing concentration is enough for him to do that.
Faith is rising in the Norwegian camp and there is no doubt Haaland has played best football of his international career, and belief is slowly being spread by others that something special could happen. But now, with three wins to spare of the World Cup, there will be no one who tells Norway to toss in the towel.Hence, no one will say it again that Norway’s World Cup hopes are going to collect. First up, England will need to figure out how to thwart the most clinical of world football strikers. With his current pace that may be the biggest hurdle during the tournament.
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