Haaland: the relentless force behind Norway's World Cup dream

MANCHESTER, England - When Erling Haaland walked off the pitch at the San Siro stadium after helping seal Norway's first World Cup berth since 1998, it was the culmination of a mission the 25-year-old has carried on his shoulders for years.

Haaland bagged a double in Sunday's 4-1 win over Italy on Sunday to bring his extraordinary scoring tally in 2026 World Cup qualifying to 16 goals, twice any other player in Europe. His total includes five goals in an 11-1 thrashing of Moldova and a goal in at least one in each of Norway's eight matches.

"It's about getting into situations where I can mostly score," the Manchester City striker told reporters after Sunday's win. 

"It was absolutely crazy. I'm proud and this is absolutely fantastic. The fact that we can come here and win 4-1 ... shows that we are a bit unpredictable."

Haaland's nearest goal-scoring challengers are England captain Harry Kane, Netherlands forward Memphis Depay and Austria's Marko Arnautovic, who all have eight apiece.

"Haaland is a goal machine," an appreciative Norway manager Stale Solbakken said. "I'm happy that Italian fans applauded him too. This is an audience who saw great players playing here over the years and I'm happy that they appreciated Haaland's performance too." 

That applause was not just for the goals, but for the spectacle of a six-foot-five battering ram of a striker who combines raw power with precision, and who has become one of football's most feared forwards.

WORLD CUP BERTH WAS 'MAIN GOAL'

Haaland told reporters recently that getting Norway to the World Cup is "the main goal" of his career. But securing their ticket to the 2026 tournament in the U.S., Mexico and Canada is more than just a personal milestone for Haaland, it is a statement about Norway's evolution, he said.

"We have broken codes and become better individual players," he said. "People have had real breakthroughs, like Antonio Nusa and Oscar Bobb, who starts matches for Manchester City. 

"It's important to pinch yourself, for the small nation we are. I feel like this is the start of something big. It's just important to enjoy the moment."

As Norway heads to the 2026 World Cup, Haaland will be at the heart of their ambitions - not just as a scorer, but as the leader of a team and nation that has dared to dream big. 

The striker is beloved in the small Scandinavian nation of less than six million people. 

In his hometown of Bryne, there are several Haaland murals. There was even a three-metre tall wooden Haaland statue that was stolen in 2022 amid rumours it was taken by a disgruntled fan who thought it looked nothing like him.

Haaland's leadership was on display during Thursday's 4-1 win over Estonia. He gave an emotional speech at halftime to help break the deadlock, and then made headlines for a cheeseburger run afterward when, still dressed in his Norway kit, he picked up dozens of burgers for teammates. REUTERS