‘I watched it from the sidelines’: Erling Haaland reflects on life-changing FIFA World Cup after England heartbreak | Football News

Erling Haaland says Norway’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign has changed him as a person after the team’s run ended with a quarter-final loss to England.Norway’s World Cup journey ended after a 2-1 extra-time loss to England. 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 it has changed me as a person. I think my profile has grown a little bit, let’s put it that way, and … It’s hard to process it at all now when I watch the games, but it’s incredibly special to be part of an event like this – something that I used to watch from the side, and now I’m in the forefront of it on the FIFA website,” said Haaland.He also spoke about the pride he felt in Norway’s performances and the support the team received at the tournament.“I feel great pride, and I’m really touched when I think about how well we did, the sense of unity back in Norway, and the positivity and happiness we feel there and here,” he added.Norway made a strong start to the quarter-final in Miami and took the lead through Andreas Schjelderup. Haaland also tested England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in the opening stages.However, Jude Bellingham equalized in first-half stoppage time before scoring again in added time after Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland spilled Morgan Rogers’ effort into his path.England eventually won 2-1 to book a semi-final against defending champions Argentina, ending Norway’s best FIFA World Cup campaign.The quarter-final was a milestone for Norway, who reached the last eight of the World Cup for the first time in their 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 games 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.