Erling Haaland has been speaking to FIFA
Superstar forward led Norway to a first World Cup in 28 years
Believes his side can reach the knockouts in North America
At just 25, Erling Haaland has already enjoyed a career any player would be delighted to have finished with.
He's won trophies aplenty in Austria, Germany and England, while scooping three Premier League Golden Boots, being named as the division's Player of the Season and featuring in the FIFA Men's World 11 for 2024.
Despite all of that, though, there remains one glaring omission on his CV: an appearance at a major international tournament.
last qualified for a showpiece tournament at UEFA EURO 2000, a tournament which finished 19 days before Haaland was born, while the FIFA World Cup™ in France two years earlier was their most recent trip to a global tournament.
"It gets a bit... not awkward to speak about, but it's been so long, and you've been trying for so long and then it doesn't happen, you get used to it not happening," Haaland told FIFA. "I've never experienced Norway being at the World Cup in my life, so I think it was about time."
Haaland was a one-man wrecking ball in his quest to reach what he calls the "biggest stage in the world". He scored at least once in all eight qualifiers, including a five-goal showing against Moldova and a brace in the qualification-clinching win away to Italy, taking him to a joint-record 16 strikes in qualifying. But for Haaland, the most important goal wasn't one he scored, but one he achieved.
"For me personally, it's a huge thing," he stated. "I've said it for a long time, my big goal is to get Norway to the World Cup. That's what I'm going to try to work towards. Now it's finally happened and I'm super-happy for that, and super-excited for what's next. You kind of got the relief and the joy everyone in the country had. It was amazing to experience.
"I never experienced the World Cup as a small kid in this country. So, I'm super-happy for the kids in Norway to experience it, because I would have loved to have seen Norway playing in the World Cup. Every time I looked at the World Cup, I was rooting for another country, so it's going to be nice."
Norway will play all three of their matches in the USA, which is of added significance for Haaland. His father, Alf-Inge, played for the national side at USA 1994, with his appearances including a 1-0 defeat to Italy at Giants Stadium. That venue has since been demolished with New York New Jersey Stadium built in its place, where Erling and Co will take on Senegal on Matchday 2.
"We've been speaking about it [USA 1994]," Haaland said of his father, who also played for Manchester City. "He said it's like three finals, where you play for your life. And that's why every time at the World Cup you see an outsider beat one of the best teams, because people play for their country like never before. You have three games and if you don't perform, you're out. It's quite simple but also difficult.
"I remember speaking to my mother about it. She was in the stands, nervous before the games. It's a huge thing. Big stadiums, positive crowds. It's a gathering, and it's a different (kind of) gathering, which I really like in football. It brings people together, not only at the stadium in the country, but around the whole world, in front of the TV and all of that."
Onlookers will be watching a Norway side which is packed with star qualify. Aside from Haaland, coach Stale Solbakken can call upon Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, Fulham pair Sander Berge and Oscar Bobb and RB Leipzig winger Antonio Nusa to name a few.
"We're a really tall team, first of all. We're a strong team who work really well with each other," he stated. "After that, we have the quality (that) you need in football to create things and to score goals. That's what we need to do. And I think Norway are exciting because of the players and the creativity we have, and I think that's also important to be a nice team to watch.
"(Playing so well in qualifying was) a huge confidence boost. But not only a confidence boost, it was a reality check, but in a positive way of (telling) where we actually are. We got Italy at home, we beat them. We went to San Siro, where not many teams have beaten them in World Cup qualifying, and we've gone and beat them, which shows people we can perform no matter where and no matter what. So, the confidence is there and we're still a young team."
After years of waiting, then, has Haaland pictured what it will feel like to walk out of the Boston Stadium tunnel for their opening bout with Iraq?
"It will feel kind of like a dream come true," he stated. "You know it's more special, I think, because I've never experienced it. So, it will be an interesting feeling and experience because, again, I don't know what I'm going into, because I've never been (there). I'm just looking forward to it – it's going to be amazing."
Sources: FIFA Official
