​Norway’s Erling Haaland believes all the pressure is on England as they prepare for Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final clash, and he grinned as he urged the media to heap as much pressure as possible on Thomas Tuchel’s side. After returning to the tournament for the first time since 1998, Norway reached the knockout stage by finishing second in Group I and followed up by defeating Ivory Coast and Brazil to advance to the last eight.
England have made the quarter-finals in each of the last three men’s World Cups but have not lifted the trophy since their 1966 triumph. When asked whether England carried all the weight, Haaland, who plays for Manchester City, replied: “Yes, definitely. I think there are some clear favourites out there, and England is one of them.” He added for the press, “I think all of you should put every single ounce of pressure on the English lads.” He still urged England fans to be confident about progression, calling it “England.”
Now 25, Haaland has scored in each of Norway’s last 14 competitive matches and will attempt to extend that streak against the country of his birth when they meet in Miami on Saturday (kick-off 22:00 BST). He was born in Leeds during the summer when his father, Alf-Inge Haaland, transferred from Leeds United to Manchester City.
Haaland, whose 0.5% World Cup-winning chances were once claimed on the cover of Time magazine last year, has helped propel Norway into the quarter-finals with seven goals in four appearances, including a brace to eliminate Brazil in the last 16. “I didn’t expect it,” he said. “To be honest, reaching the quarter-finals with Norway at the World Cup is quite surprising, even for me.” Facing Brazil was “crazy for us Norwegians,” he noted, and beating Brazil to then face England in the United States quarter-finals is “quite special.” “It’s difficult to take everything in because you mostly have to treat the game like a training session,” Haaland added. “If you could see the scenes in Norway, this isn’t normal for us, so it’s super special.”
Haaland has also captured attention in the United States, where his charisma and off-field exploits, along with his goals, have boosted his popularity. Shortly after scoring the winner in the last-32 win over Ivory Coast, he went shopping in Dallas for cowboy hats and boots, filming the outing for his YouTube channel; the video accrued more than six million views in five days. “It’s a good thing because I like the Americans; they’re funny,” he said with a smile. “They’re hilarious in their own way, and I like that.” He credited the World Cup’s overall experience in the U.S. as “amazing,” praising everything from the games to the stadiums and even the training facilities. “The training ground we use has been incredible,” he added, “so I’m super happy, and it’s been impressive—in terms of SEO, even.”