Norway striker Erling Haaland says the burden of expectation sits squarely on England ahead of Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final, and with a grin urged the media to heap as much pressure as possible on Thomas Tuchel’s team.
After a first World Cup appearance since 1998, Norway have surged into the last eight for the first time, finishing second in Group I before knocking out Ivory Coast and Brazil. England, meanwhile, have made at least the quarter-finals at each of the past three men’s World Cups but haven’t reached the final since their 1966 triumph.
Asked whether the spotlight is on England, the Manchester City forward agreed, calling England one of the tournament’s clear favourites. He told reporters they should pile the scrutiny on the English players and said England fans have every reason to believe their side will advance.
Haaland, 25, has scored in 14 straight competitive matches for Norway and will try to extend that streak against the country of his birth on Saturday in Miami (22:00 BST). He was born in Leeds the summer his father, Alf-Inge, moved from Leeds United to Manchester City.
Featured on the cover of Time last year, Haaland put Norway’s chances of winning the World Cup at just 0.5%. Yet his seven goals in four games, including a brace to oust Brazil in the last 16, have propelled Norway into the quarter-finals.
He admitted the run has surpassed his expectations, calling it a surprise to be this deep in the tournament with Norway. Beating Brazil felt surreal, he said, and facing England in a World Cup quarter-final in the United States is something special. He’s trying to treat each match with the calm of a training session, even as celebrations back home reflect how unusual and memorable this is for Norway.
Haaland’s popularity in the U.S. has soared thanks to both his goals and his off-field personality. Just hours after netting the winner against Ivory Coast in the last 32, he went shopping in Dallas for cowboy hats and boots, sharing the trip on YouTube—a video that drew more than six million views in five days. He praised Americans as funny and likable, and said everything about the tournament—from the matches and stadiums to Norway’s training base—has been outstanding.
Other clips have shown him at the Stanley Cup final in North Carolina and leading Norway’s players in the Viking row after beating Brazil. Haaland said keeping things light is essential for him: enjoy the jokes and the moment, while still training hard, focusing, and preparing properly—because nothing lasts forever.