Norway striker Erling Haaland has stated that the pressure leading into their World Cup quarter-final match on Saturday is entirely on England. He also encouraged the media to place as much pressure as possible on Thomas Tuchel‘s team.
Norway had not participated in a World Cup since 1998 but has now reached the final eight for the first time. Their journey to this stage included finishing second in Group I and then defeating Ivory Coast and Brazil in the knockout rounds.
England has consistently reached at least the quarter-finals in the last three men’s World Cups but has not made it to the final since their victory in 1966. When questioned about the pressure, Manchester City striker Haaland affirmed, “Yes, definitely. I think there’s some clear favourites out there, England’s one of them.”
Speaking to journalists, Haaland added, “I think all of you should put every single pressure on the English lads. Yeah, they [England fans] should be confident of progressing, definitely. It’s England.”
Haaland, who has scored in each of his past 14 competitive games for Norway, aims to extend this streak against the nation of his birth. He was born in Leeds during the summer his father, Alf-Inge, transferred from Leeds United to Manchester City. The quarter-final match will take place in Miami on Saturday.
Last year, when Haaland was featured on the cover of Time magazine, he estimated Norway‘s chances of winning the World Cup at 0.5%. However, his performance, including seven goals in four appearances and a double against Brazil in the last 16, has propelled Norway into the last eight.
“I didn’t expect it. To be honest, to be in the quarter-finals with Norway in the World Cup is quite surprising even for me,” Haaland commented. “Playing against Brazil was kind of crazy for us Norwegians and to win against Brazil and then go and play England in the quarter-finals in the World Cup in the USA is quite special.”
He noted the difficulty of processing the situation, suggesting players need to approach the game as if it were a training session. Haaland also highlighted the extraordinary nature of Norway‘s progress, stating, “I think if you watch the scenes back in Norway, this is not normal for Norway to be, so it’s super special.”
Haaland’s popularity in the US has grown during the tournament, attributed to both his on-field performance and his off-field persona. Shortly after scoring the winning goal against Ivory Coast in the last 32, Haaland was seen shopping for cowboy hats and boots in Dallas. A video of this trip on his YouTube channel garnered over six million views within five days.
“It’s a good thing because I like the Americans, I think they are kind of hilarious as well. They are funny, so I like the way they are,” he remarked. “I think it’s just good. Honestly on every single thing with the World Cup so far here it has been amazing. From the games to the stadiums, everything has been amazing.”
He also praised the training facilities, stating, “The training ground where we train has been amazing, so I’m super happy and it’s been impressive.” Other videos show Haaland attending the Stanley Cup final in North Carolina and leading his teammates in the Viking row celebration after their victory over Brazil.
“I like to joke a little bit and I like to have fun,” Haaland said. “I think that’s a key to for my daily life to joke around and of course train good, of course focus well and prepare well but you also need to joke around and you need to enjoy the moment.” He concluded, “That’s what we’ve been doing now and just as we play in the World Cup, we have to enjoy it because nothing lasts forever. We have to just enjoy while we’re here.”
Historical Context of Norway vs. England
The upcoming match brings to mind a notable historical encounter between Norway and England. On 9 September 1981, Norway defeated England 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier, a result famously celebrated by Norwegian radio commentator Bjørge Lillelien.
Lillelien’s commentary, which included listing prominent British figures and declaring, “Your boys took a hell of a beating!” has become legendary in Norwegian football folklore. This victory was particularly significant given Norway‘s footballing status at the time; they had not participated in a major tournament since the 1938 Olympics.
The Norwegian public’s strong connection to English football dates back to November 1969, when the public broadcaster NRK began showing live matches from the English first division during the winter months. With only one television channel available, English football became a widespread Saturday afternoon viewing tradition.
Øyvind Alsaker, who will commentate on Saturday’s quarter-final for Norwegian broadcaster TV2, grew up with these televised games. He recalled the excitement surrounding which game would be shown each weekend. This exposure led to many Norwegians developing emotional ties to English clubs, such as Gabriel Høyland, Haaland’s great uncle, who supports Burnley, and Kasper Wikestad, a Norwich fan who commentated on Norway‘s recent win against Brazil.
Wikestad described English football as a “dream” for Norwegians at that time, highlighting the atmosphere, chants, and star players. He noted that the idea of Norway beating England in a qualifying match was considered an “unrealistic dream.”
Teammate’s Perspective and England’s Preparation
Haaland‘s Manchester City teammate, Nico O’Reilly, who is now England‘s starting left-back, will likely face Haaland in the quarter-final. When asked about Haaland’s comments regarding England being favorites, O’Reilly suggested they “could be mind games.”
O’Reilly acknowledged Norway as a strong team that has performed well throughout the tournament, emphasizing their collective strength beyond individual players. He recognized Haaland’s finishing ability, stating, “Erling is Erling. We all know what he is like. He can score goals and is dangerous in the box. He is a real threat. They need to get him the ball. A lot goes into it.”
England assistant Anthony Barry echoed O’Reilly’s sentiment, confirming that Norway is not solely reliant on one player. He highlighted their proficiency in set-pieces and the threat posed by their frontline players, many of whom play for major European teams. Barry specifically mentioned Odegaard, a Premier League winner and captain.
Barry stressed that Norway‘s presence in the last eight is not a fluke, stating, “It’s no shock and there’s no fluke at this stage of the tournament – whoever’s in the last eight with us deserves it, and they have our full respect.” He confirmed England‘s preparation for the game, focusing on Norway as “step one of three” in their tournament progression.
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Source: bbc.com
