Haaland's late winner powers Norway into World Cup last 16
Quick Look
- Erling Haaland's late winner secured Norway's place in the World Cup last 16, where they will face Brazil.
- The 25-year-old striker has now scored five World Cup goals in three games.
- Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe scored twice for France against Sweden, leveling with Lionel Messi in World Cup career goals.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The article discusses Erling Haaland's hypothetical career playing for England and contrasts it with his actual performance for Norway in the World Cup.
There is a parallel universe, where Erling Haaland opted to play for the land of his birth and is even now powering England on their way to a first World Cup since 1966.
In that alternative timeline, the 6ft 5in striker will end the 2026 tournament with the golden boot and the almost certain knowledge he will one day be the greatest goalscorer the game has ever seen, overhauling the likes of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe with ease.
Who is to say he won’t yet achieve either of those things in this reality. A late winner in a fortnight already full of them powered Norway into the last 16 and a meeting with Brazil. It was the 25-year-old’s fifth World Cup goal in just three games.
Mbappe, meanwhile, scored the 17th and 18th of his World Cup career as France eased past Sweden, and drew level with Messi at the top of the goalscoring charts. Paraguay will be next to try and stop Didier Deschamps’ side reaching a third successive final.
The last game of the day gets under way at 9am, when Ecuador take on co-hosts Mexico, but until then, here’s what happened while you were sleeping.
France march on
Open Questions
- Will Haaland achieve his potential in reality?
- How will Norway fare against Brazil?
