Norwegian striker Erling Haaland took over our algorithms this World Cup, appearing everywhere on our screens: especially in the United States, where Haaland played all his games during the tournament. Already a known commodity in soccer circles, the Manchester City star has led the Premier League in goals three of the last four seasons and is on pace to shatter the all-time scoring record. This summer, Haaland has emerged as a certified phenomenon in America.
Fans went gaga when he dapped up a couple of kids before Norway knocked off Brazil, the five-time World Cup champs, in the Round of 16. He went shopping for cowboy hats in Texas; quite endearing. And it’s a mutual lovefest. “I like the Americans,” Haaland said the other day. “I think they are kind of hilarious.”
Haaland’s stateside stock could not have been soaring any higher. He’d scored in 14 straight competitive games for Norway, including seven goals in four World Cup games. About a year ago, Haaland had pegged Norway’s chances of winning a World Cup at 0.5%: and here were the Norwegians, inspired by their sensational Viking Row, facing England in a World Cup quarterfinal in Miami on Saturday, just three wins away from a Cinderella title.
So the last thing anyone expected was Haaland, the breakout icon of this World Cup, finishing his tournament slinking on the bench, eyes closed—perhaps from frustration or embarrassment, or both—with his team down by just a single goal.
Behind a brace from Jude Bellingham—another superstar who has risen to the occasion at this World Cup—England defeated Norway 2-1, to reach the World Cup semifinals for the fourth time in its history. Bellingham’s game-deciding goal came in the third minute of extra time, with the game knotted at one: Norway’s goalkeeper Orjan Nyland tried catching a Morgan Rogers shot, but instead the ball bounced off his chest. Bellingham read the rebound perfectly and fired it into the net for his sixth goal of the World Cup
