"Has anyone ever managed to stop Erling Haaland?" That is the question on everyone's lips in England, where the Manchester City giant has friends but also plenty of enemies ahead of the World Cup quarter-final against Norway at midnight on Sunday in Miami.
Seven goals in four matches
The tall, blond striker, born in Leeds, the city where his father Alf-Inge Haaland was playing at the time, has tormented defences with surgical precision at the World Cup. With seven goals in four matches, Haaland heads to Florida with a broad smile and an insatiable appetite.
"I think he is the best player in the world right now inside the penalty area. He has an incredible physique. He is mentally strong. And it really does not matter who he is playing against," said Norway head coach Ståle Solbakken, the day after Haaland's two goals against Brazil in the round of 16 (2-1).
The towering forward (1.95m), with his extraordinary instinct in front of goal, punished the Seleção with a powerful header and a long-range strike, converting every chance that came his way. He did, however, have to contend with someone who knows him well: Arsenal defender Gabriel, with whom he regularly engages in epic duels in the Premier League.
A family name on the shirt
On Saturday night, the son of former heptathlete Gry Marita Braut, whose surname is printed on his shirt, will face more familiar adversaries, including Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, if they play, as well as club teammates John Stones, Marc Guéhi and Nico O'Reilly.
"The Norwegians have good players all over the pitch, capable of creating a lot of danger," O'Reilly said after training, adding: "But yes, of course, if we can keep him quiet, that will be a huge factor in how the match unfolds."
"Has anyone ever stopped him?"
Meanwhile, Morgan Rogers posed the question himself: "Has anyone ever managed to stop Erling Haaland? I am not sure, but we will try," the attacking midfielder said, continuing: "He is an absolutely incredible player. What he does, the statistics he racks up, you cannot help but admire his level and the heights he has reached."
Record numbers at 25
At 25, Haaland is already Norway's all-time top scorer with 62 goals in 54 appearances. His last 14 opponents in competitive matches have all been beaten, and not just once, as he has scored a total of 27 goals against them during this remarkable run. In England, he has 162 goals in 198 matches for Manchester City, whose shirt he has worn since 2022.
"It is really special because I play in England, I was born in England and I will be playing against teammates, so it is a bit, not strange, but it is a fun match and it will be enjoyable," Haaland commented, a few hours before the crucial quarter-final.
