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Erling Haaland, the man who scored 16 goals in eight qualifying matches to drag Norway back to the World Cup, is spending his pre-tournament downtime the way any reasonable person would. Practicing his golf swing, playing games with teammates, and apparently picking up parenting tips.
The long road back
Norway hasn’t played in a World Cup since 1998. The gap between Norway’s last World Cup appearance and this one is 28 years.
What changed was, frankly, Haaland. The Manchester City striker has become Norway’s all-time leading scorer with 55 international goals, and his qualifying campaign was the stuff of statistical absurdity. Sixteen goals in eight games means he averaged two per match. Norway won all eight of those qualifiers, a perfect record.
Haaland has been open about his ambitions. He’s called the World Cup his “big goal” since making his international debut back in 2019. He’s captaining the squad and leading them into a group that includes France and Senegal, alongside their opening opponents Iraq on June 16.
Vikings in North Carolina
The Norwegian squad has set up their pre-tournament base in Greensboro, North Carolina. The team attended an NHL Stanley Cup playoff game. They also posed for a Viking-themed team photo, decked out in traditional attire under the banner “The Vikings Are Coming.”
What this means for Norway’s World Cup campaign
The team isn’t just Haaland. Martin Odegaard, Arsenal’s creative heartbeat, provides midfield intelligence alongside Haaland’s finishing.
The friendly against Morocco, scheduled as a warm-up before the tournament proper, will offer a more realistic gauge of where Norway stands. Morocco reached the World Cup semifinals in 2022.
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