CHICAGO — Erling Haaland has downplayed the importance of Norway’s crucial Group I match against Kylian Mbappé and France on Friday, stating that Les Bleus “will probably win against us.”
Both Norway and France secured their places in the knockout stage on Monday with wins over Senegal and Iraq, respectively. The teams will clash in Boston on June 26, both having six points, but France holds the top position due to a slightly better goal difference.
Ismaïla Sarr’s late goal for Senegal in their 3-2 defeat to Norway prevented the Scandinavians from entering the match against France as group leaders, meaning Stale Solbakken’s team must secure a victory to claim top spot in Group I.
Despite this need for a win, Haaland, who plays for Manchester City, expressed that he is indifferent about the outcome. He highlighted that his team has already met its initial goal of advancing to the knockout stage.
“To be honest, I don’t care too much about the France game,” Haaland told Fox Sports. “We made it through, which is fantastic. I’m not overly concerned about that match now. France will probably win against us; they might even win the entire tournament.”
The upcoming match will feature Haaland and Mbappé both having scored four goals in two games so far in the World Cup. Currently, Argentina’s Lionel Messi is leading the race for the Golden Boot with five goals, but Norway’s coach Solbakken declared Haaland to be the tournament’s top striker.
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“He did actually miss an open goal [against Senegal], which could have been a double brace,” Solbakken remarked. “However, he is the best striker. He is not playing for France or Argentina; he scores for Norway.
With four goals already under his belt, including two braces on the biggest stage, it’s easier to win the Golden Boot representing teams like France and Argentina. We’ll aim to give Erling more opportunities and support in the upcoming matches.
“He’s on fire, and I’m thrilled for him to showcase his talent on the grandest stage.”