World Cup 2026: Norway Makes History, England Regards Erling Haaland as Their Most Feared Opponent

Erling Haaland’s golden hair is often an easily recognizable feature on the football pitch. He is known for sprinting at high speed across open fields, with opposing defenders struggling to stop him. However, on Sunday, that was not as evident. Nevertheless, he scored two goals as Norway defeated Brazil 2-1, securing a place in the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time.

At 25 years old, Haaland touched the ball inside the penalty area only four times during the round of 16 match. Among those chances, he converted one in the 79th minute, giving his team the lead. Then, just 11 minutes later, a powerful strike from outside the box confirmed why he is considered one of world football’s most dangerous strikers. With this, Haaland reached seven goals in the tournament, equaling the tally of Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi. With seven goals, Haaland has become the leading contender for the Golden Boot.

“There hasn’t been another player seen scoring such a goal,” said Scotland’s former winger Pat Nevin regarding Haaland’s decisive goal. “There wasn’t a clear chance, not even half a chance or a quarter chance. There was nothing.” Former England striker Ian Wright added, “People often talk about how many times he touches the ball, but he doesn’t need to touch it many times.” Haaland’s goal secured Norway a historic victory over the experienced South American team.

Led by Ståle Solbakken, playing in their first World Cup since 1998, Norway is now only three wins away from lifting the World Cup trophy. Their next challenge will be against England, who defeated Mexico 3-2 in the quarterfinals. However, with a game-changer like Haaland on their side, Norway considers every opportunity possible in that matchup. Former England captain Wayne Rooney remarked, “He has given the entire nation hope that this team can go far in this tournament.”