‘The best goalscorer in the world’: Erling Haaland primed for World Cup debut

The venue where one footballing great’s World Cup journey ended will witness the beginning for another. Little did anybody know at the time that Diego Maradona’s appearance for Argentina against Nigeria in 1994 would be his last on football’s biggest stage. It was then the Foxboro Stadium. Fast forward 32 years. Same place, different name. At the Boston Stadium, Erling Haaland will play in the World Cup for the first time as Norway face Iraq on Tuesday.

Careers can be defined by this tournament. It is a reference point, for example, that George Best never featured in one. “I think he is the world’s best goalscorer,” said the Norway head coach, Ståle Solbakken. “He is physically fit. I think he has gradually played better and better in training.

“He is where he wants to be and hopefully the team can give him the service he needs to get goals. If you give Erling chances, he has a tendency to score,” Solbakken, who does a decent line in understatement, added.

The 58-year-old gave a short shrift to speculation regarding Real Madrid trying to sign Haaland. “We haven’t talked about it at all,” he said. “It doesn’t interest me and I haven’t heard anything about it.”

Half a mile from the stadium, the global media representation as Norway completed Monday’s training session told a story. Tore André Flo was regarded as an formidable international striker until Haaland burst on to the scene, smashing all records before him. The amiable Flo was smart enough to talk around a question from a member of the French media over who is the better striker, Haaland or Kylian Mbappé.

Flo did, however, assert this is the most talented batch of Norwegian players in history. “I think so, yes,” said the former Chelsea player. “If you look at their abilities with the ball, where they play, we have the top scorer in the Premier League and the captain of the team that won the Premier League. So there are some big superstars in this team. There are now more than two. There are lots of players who can positively decide a result. There are threats on the wings, centrally, the opportunities can come from anywhere. Offensively they are very strong.

“That applies a bit of pressure but at the same time it is 28 years since we have been here so they have already achieved something that the Norwegian people are happy about. Yes, there is some pressure but there are a lot of other teams with more pressure than Norway.”

Flo shrugged off any sense Haaland could wilt under the weight of expectation. “Every year he is going to a new level,” he said. “He has gone from smaller clubs to bigger and huge clubs. He has continued to do well so it doesn’t seem to affect him. I expect he will just keep on going.”

It would be incorrect to regard Martin Ødegaard as a bit-part player in this scene. The Arsenal midfielder is crucial to Norwegian hopes. And, indeed, to chance creation for Haaland. “I am very happy those players are Norwegian,” the Brentford defender Kristoffer Ajer says. “It is a huge advantage for us to have two players who are among the best in the world. They come here with a lot of confidence and hopefully they can produce the goals and assists we need. They will always get the most attention but I feel like focus has shifted towards the team. We are humble but very confident.”

It is only natural to ponder how the extraordinary Haaland – who averages more than a goal per game at international level – will perform at a World Cup. Iraq provide a favourable start in his quest for the Golden Boot. Senegal and France should offer sterner tests.

Solbakken believes he “won’t have to say a lot” to incentivise his team and sought to defuse last week’s row with Scotland, after the cancellation of a training game triggered fury in the Norway camp. “I am finished with that,” Solbakken added. “Now for me it is good luck to Scotland. I have always supported Scotland as a big Liverpool fan; Alan Hansen, Kenny Dalglish, Steve Nicol. I didn’t like what happened there but that has been over for a long time now. No hard feelings.”

Haaland’s World Cup buildup has involved golf with childhood friends in Marbella and taking in game five of the Stanley Cup final during Norway’s training camp in North Carolina. The Manchester City man has confidently predicted his country will get through the group stage. If that happens he would upstage his father.

Alf-Inge Haaland was part of the Norway squad which finished bottom of their group when the tournament was held in the US in 1994. In a documentary released on his YouTube channel this week, Erling tries on Alf-Inge’s strip from that tournament. “‘Haaland 18?’” laughs Erling. “Too high a number, that.” His sense of humour is dry. In the same video, he reads out messages written on City strips from the departing Bernardo Silva and John Stones. “I needed you for the Champions League,” wrote Silva. Haaland nodded. “It’s true they couldn’t win the Champions League until I arrived.”

That quest for City, Silva and Haaland ended in 2023. In Massachusetts, another one will take flight. Norway’s dreams depend on Haaland. The 25-year-old’s already exalted position in this game will be elevated even further if he seizes the moment.

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