The man no-one wants to face - Haaland fires Norway to history
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- Erling Haaland scored twice, leading Norway to a historic 2-1 victory over Brazil and a World Cup quarter-final appearance for the first time.
- Haaland's clinical performance, despite limited touches, highlights his status as one of the world's most feared strikers, now tied for the Golden Boot lead.
- His success on the world stage has instilled belief in the Norwegian team and country, removing doubts about his ability to perform at the highest level.
Erling Haaland propelled Norway into the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in their history, scoring both goals in a dramatic 2-1 victory over Brazil. The Manchester City striker, often a prominent figure charging forward, was relatively contained but proved decisive when opportunities arose.
You don't see any other player doing that. There was not a chance there. There wasn't a half chance, quarter chance. Nothing.
Despite having only four touches inside the box during the match, Haaland broke the deadlock in the 79th minute and sealed the win with a low drive from outside the box 11 minutes later. This clinical display underscores his reputation as one of football's most lethal forwards. With seven goals, he now shares the lead in the Golden Boot standings with Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi.
People constantly talk about how many touches he has. He didn't have to have a lot of touches.
Commentators lauded Haaland's ability to score even with minimal service. Former Scotland winger Pat Nevin described the winning goal as coming from "nothing," while ex-England striker Ian Wright emphasized that Haaland "didn't have to have a lot of touches." His performance silenced critics who questioned his impact on the world stage, with former England defender Gary Neville noting that the "'he's never done it on the world stage'" narrative has now been dispelled.
He has given the whole country belief that they can go really far in this competition.
Haaland's seven goals in four games have significantly boosted Norway's confidence. Competing in their first World Cup since 1998, the team now stands three wins away from an unlikely world title. Wayne Rooney remarked that Haaland "has given the whole country belief that they can go really far in this competition." His prolific international record, with 62 goals in 54 senior appearances, further solidifies his status as a game-changer for Norway.
Sometimes it's said 'he's never done it on the world stage' and that's now been removed.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by BBC News. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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