EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.— For much of Sunday afternoon, Norway’s 6-foot-5 superstar Erling Haaland stalked the field, biding his time against Brazil, waiting for his moment to strike.
He stood about a half-foot taller than most of the Brazilians.But they swarmed and bottled him until the 79th minute, when Haaland’s chance came in an instant.
Limited time: Save 25% on NBC News subscriptionGet exclusive reporting, live Q&As and ad-free reading.Norway’s Andreas Schjelderup chipped the ball toward the goal from the left side, and Haaland leapt, swung his neck, and headed the ball into the net, out-jumping Brazil’s 6-foot-3 defender Gabriel Magalhães, his Premier League nemesis.During the celebration, Haaland played it cool, looking into the crowd with a sly smile.Schjelderup jumped on his back and the rest of Norway began to mob him.
Once the excitement died down, the team gathered in a circle and a player went up to Haaland, grabbed the back of his neck, and kissed his cheek.That moment said it all: Norway wouldn’t be here without Haaland, who ended up scoring twice on Sunday to lead his country to a 2-1 win over five-time champion Brazil and secure a berth into the World Cup quarterfinals, the furthest Norway has ever advanced in the tournament.Haaland celebrating a goal against Brazil in East Rutherford, N.J.on Sunday.Image Photo Agency / Getty Images“I’m lost for words.
We’re all lost for words,” Schjelderup said.“I think we’re all just happy that he’s Norwegian and that he’s playing for us.
The things he does every game, to be able to score.It doesn’t matter: you can just cross the ball or pass to him blindly and he will score.
We’re so lucky to have him.”Haaland is a star for his club team Manchester City, of the English Premier League, and one of the best strikers playing today.He’s a household name among soccer fans around the world.
But over the past few weeks, he’s somehow reached a new level.Haaland has played h...