Erling Haaland says Norway’s 2026 World Cup campaign has changed him as a person after the team’s run ended with a quarter-final defeat to England.Norway’s World Cup journey ended after losing 2-1 to England in extra time.
Despite the result, Haaland said playing on football’s biggest stage and representing his country was an experience he will always remember.“These things are surreal; I think this has changed me as a person,” Haaland said, according to FIFA’s website. “I think my profile has evolved a little bit, let’s put it that way, and… it’s hard to even process all of that now when I look at the matches, but it’s very special to be part of an event like this – something I used to watch from the sidelines, and now I’m experiencing it first-hand.”He also spoke about the pride he felt in Norway’s performance and the support the team received during the tournament.He added: “I feel very proud, and I’m really touched when I think about how well we did, the feeling of unity in Norway, and the positivity and joy we felt there and here.”Norway got off to a strong start in the quarterfinals in Miami and took the lead through Andreas Schildrup. Haaland also tested England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford during the early stages.
However, Jude Bellingham equalized in first-half stoppage time before scoring again in extra time after Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland had narrowly missed Morgan Rogers’ effort into his path.England eventually won 2–1 to book a semi-final match against defending champions Argentina, ending Norway’s best ever FIFA World Cup campaign.The quarter-finals constituted a milestone for Norway, which reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the first time in its history after qualifying for the tournament for the first time since 1998.Despite the exit, Haaland had a productive tournament. The striker scored in all three matches in the group stage, and also found the net in the Round of 32 and Round of 16, finishing as Norway’s top scorer with seven goals.