Erling Haaland acknowledged this Sunday that it is still difficult for him to believe that Norway has eliminated Brazil and has managed to qualify for the first time in the quarterfinals of a World Cup, after its double in the 1-2 victory.
“Sometimes I have to pinch my arm to believe that all this is real because it is something very big,” said the Manchester City forward in the mixed zone at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
“I’m not usually left speechless, but right now I am. It was hard for me to believe that I could reach this level in terms of achievements, but I have shown myself that it is possible. Beating Brazil in this way was a strange feeling. It was difficult for me to assimilate it, but we did it and it is incredible,” he added.
The Norwegian attacker was satisfied with his performance in the tournament, in which he scored seven goals, a figure that places him at the top of the scoring table along with the Argentine Lionel Messi and the Frenchman Kylian Mbappé.
“To be honest, scoring seven goals for Norway in a World Cup is something very special. It’s difficult to express what I feel because everything seems unreal,” he said.
Haaland also highlighted the growth of his team, which he described as “a fantastic team” under the direction of Ståle Solbakken. “We are changing as a football country. Over time we have gained confidence. We are one of the best teams in Europe and the world, because what we have done is incredible. It has taken 28 years to achieve something like this,” express.
Norway returned to a World Cup after almost three decades of absence, a period in which Haaland himself had not even been born in his last participation. “I’m 25 years old, so you can’t blame me for that. “I am proud of my country and of everyone who is part of this,” he commented.
The striker admitted that he never imagined a victory of this caliber: “I dreamed of playing in a World Cup with Norway, but not of beating Brazil. I thought it was impossible. I guess I was wrong.”
After the match, Haaland revealed that he barely exchanged words with the Brazilian players, although he did speak briefly with Vinícius Júnior.