3 min readJul 6, 2026 11:44 AM IST
First published on: Jul 6, 2026 at 11:44 AM IST
He’s getting them Samba-folk to say, “I’m Brazilian, but this guy….”, gushing about Erling Haaland. With absolute non-chalance, the superstar of Norway pushing Brazil out of the World Cup and his country into quarters, spoke to the media in New York, telling them he couldn’t believe his own wonderful run of 7 goals in 4 games at the FIFA World Cup.
“First of all I’d like say, we’ve been growing *”!#@& now over time. We’re (Norway are) actually one of the better teams in Europe and in the world,” Haaland would say in the presser. Norway have never lost to Brazil ever, but defeating them in a World Cup Knockout was the next push.
A fake reel has Haaland chomping into food at a restaurant, looking into the mirror and wincing at the sight – afraid of what he sees. But away from memes, Haaland has been striking consistently – pulling a calm calculated Norwegian squad, into the business end. His father played at the last World Cup in USA, but Erling has given the team claims to seriously stake to being considered elite teams. His ability to pounce on the passes undeterred, and the success rate has boggled him too.
“Let’s be honest. To score 7 goals for Norway in World Cup is quite special. It’s unreal. I don’t have words. It’s difficult to put into words what I feel, what I’m doing. Because it’s unreal. I need to pinch myself in the arms because it’s big, you know?” he would say.
Norway’s run was not anticipated. “No one expected it. It’s crazy. I never expected in million years we will go through in a World Cup. First time in 28 years. We will win against Ivory Coast. We meet Brazil. We went, ‘let’s just play, let’s enjoy this. No matter how it goes. There will be a big party in Norway. We’ll have a party even if we lose,, and then we won,” he would say.
Urged to send a message across the vanquished Brazil, Haaland would say, “It’s difficult to give message to Brazil at the moment. You guys deserve to be in finals. Even me, if we go far back, it was Brazil and it’s superstars. Even now, to watch Neymar, Vini Jr. It’s surrealistic. You want to play against best in world. But I’ll tell them, you deserve glory. Because it’s a football country. You guys deserve to win a World Cup now and then.”
Haaland would celebrate the win with Norwegian royalty, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus in the locker room.
Erling Haaland in action. (FILE photo) 
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