Haaland: We wanted to put Norway on the map — and we succeeded

Erling Haaland said Norway’s run to the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals had united the country and helped put Norwegian football on the map, even after a 2-1 defeat by England ended their campaign.

The Manchester City forward said reaching that stage had created a sense of joy and positive energy back home. He described the tournament as a historic moment for Norway and said the experience could only be fully understood by living through it.

Haaland also said one of his main aims had been to show that Norway can compete with the best teams in the world. He said the squad had achieved that in this World Cup and believed it had helped raise the country’s profile.

Norway’s loss to England came in the quarter-finals, but Haaland framed the campaign as a meaningful step for the national team rather than only a failed attempt to go further.