Photo: Christian David / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons
Erling Haaland has been central to Norway's return to the World Cup for the first time since 1998, scoring seven goals in four matches ahead of Saturday's quarter-final against England. His father, Alfie Inge Haaland, was part of the squad at France '98 — the last time Norway appeared at the tournament.
Molde assistant coach Pål Arne Johansen, known as 'Paco', who coached Haaland through Norway's youth squads, has traced the striker's development from the age groups to the senior stage. Haaland scored 13 goals in 32 appearances across the Under-15, 16, 17 and 18 levels before breaking through internationally.
Paco identifies a March 2018 Under-19 Euro qualifier in Germany as a turning point. Norway beat a Germany side that included Kai Havertz 5-2, with Haaland scoring twice, before defeating Scotland in their next game — a result that secured qualification for the European Under-19 Championship.
"The game that convinced me he could play in one of the top five European leagues was that performance against Germany — who had some good defenders at the time — but they just couldn't stop him," said Paco. "He finished top scorer in the Euros and then at the Under-20 World Cup a year later."
At the 2019 Under-20 World Cup, Haaland scored nine goals in a 12-0 victory over Honduras, a result Norway needed to advance as one of the best third-place teams. He was 18 at the time and playing for Molde.
"We needed to win that game by at least five goals to have the best chance of advancing," Paco recalled. "The thing that I recall most from that game is that he was quite annoyed he hadn't scored a tenth goal. He was holding up nine fingers in the dressing room, and he was quite annoyed he couldn't hold up ten."
Haaland was called up to the senior squad in August 2019. In 54 appearances, he has scored a national record 62 goals, with his form during qualifying decisive in ending Norway's 28-year absence from the World Cup.
"Ever since I made my international debut in 2019, my big goal was to get Norway to a World Cup and Euros," Haaland said. "It's a lot of pressure on me but I like the pressure."
Haaland also addressed expectations from Norwegian supporters ahead of the tournament. "If I was a Norwegian football fan, living in Norway, and Erling Haaland plays for the Norwegian national team, I expect him to take us to the World Cup. Simple as that."
On his father's advice about playing at the World Cup, Haaland said: "He always says, 'You need to try not to think too much about it and just enjoy it because you never know what's going to happen in the future.'"
Norway face England in the quarter-final on Saturday.