Haaland: This World Cup Changed My Life After Painful Exit
Erling Haaland admitted the tournament had a profound impact after Norway's quarterfinal loss to England, while coach Solbakken explained his substitution was due to exhaustion and injury.
Norway's star striker Erling Haaland said that the World Cup has changed his life following a heartbreaking quarterfinal defeat to England. Haaland, who had scored seven goals in four matches, was kept scoreless for the first time in the tournament as England's defense successfully neutralized him. The winning goals came from his former Borussia Dortmund teammate Jude Bellingham.
"It has been an incredible journey," Haaland said after the match. He acknowledged that in the hot and humid conditions in Miami, with temperatures reaching around 38°C, he gradually ran out of energy in the second half. Norway head coach Ståle Solbakken explained that the striker was substituted in extra time due to complete exhaustion and an injury. "It was not a difficult decision to replace him. He was completely drained. Maybe I should have substituted him ten minutes earlier," Solbakken added.
Despite being held without a goal, Haaland was one of the standout players of the tournament. England became the first team since October 2024 to stop the Norwegian sharpshooter in an official match. After the final whistle, Haaland remained on the pitch for several minutes, applauding the Norwegian fans who had witnessed the nation's best-ever World Cup campaign. "I think we put Norway on the world football map," Haaland concluded.
