AFTER Norway's 3-2 win over Senegal in New Jersey on Monday night, the players wanted to give back to their fans. So, they performed the 'Viking Row'. Captain Martin Odegaard led the celebration, and the other players and the coaching staff joined in. They all sat in a Viking longboat formation and rowed as one to the beat of Odegaard's drum. Up in the stands at the Stadium, the thousands of Norwegians responded with rows of their own. It was, so far, one of the most viral moments of the World Cup.
It was pre-planned.
"I saw it online," Erling Haaland told Fox Sports after the game. "It's gone completely viral. Martin asked me before the game: 'Do you think we should join in?' I said, 'If we win, let's do it, why not?'"
Riding on the crest of a wave, Norway, on this stage for the first time this century, have already advanced to the knockout stages after two wins in two. While they are a sum greater than their parts, the sum itself would be significantly diminished without Haaland, already one of the best goal-scorers the world has known in a long time.
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At the World Cup, most of the biggest stars have already hit the headlines: Harry Kane for England, Kylian Mbappe for France and Lionel Messi for Argentina. But they have been here before several times. This is all different for Haaland and Norway. The last time they featured in a World Cup, the 'Cup of Life' was the song of choice and Haaland wasn't even born.
Yet, everything he has done over the last week shouldn't come as a surprise. His four goals — two sets of braces against Iraq and Senegal — is basically how he scores for Manchester City in the Premier League and in Europe. The first goal against Iraq was a tap in from a cut-back (xGoT was 1.) The second was when he pressed the goalkeeper who made a hash of his clearance. It ricocheted off the forward and flew into the net. Against Senegal, the first was an inch-perfect Odegaard pass on a rapid counter and Haaland buried it from inside the box. The second was a first-time sidefoot volley off his weaker foot onto the underside of the crossbar and over the line. He's such a deadly finisher because he has a number of finishes in his locker. He can bully defenders in the box with his presence. His acceleration and burst of pace mean he can play on the shoulder of the last man. He also has great positional awareness in the box when wingers cross.
For Norway to progress into the Round of 16 and beyond, Haaland and Odegaard (the latter has assisted the former nine times in senior football) have to continue producing the goods. But even as their stock grew, the striker, who scored a remarkable 16 times for his country in the qualifiers, has refused to get carried away. "I don't care," he said when asked about the prospect of facing France. "We are through. They will probably beat us and go on to win the whole tournament."
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ON the streets of Oslo, one could feel the presence of Erling Haaland in early June. When you walked into a department store, he was on the cover of a kids' magazine, cosplaying as Donald Duck. On one of the main commercial streets, he was the face of an eyewear company. There were stories of 'the Haaland kebab shop', a joint he has visited for one of their signature meat dishes.
There were also the stories about his business ventures. That he has invested in chess has been documented on these pages and elsewhere. He also has a minority stake in a hair-tie company (the Norwegian equivalent of a traditional Indian scrunchie). The firm, Kknekki, is responsible for keeping the forward's bun in place during football games. The gender-neutral ties are so much in demand that they sell a 'Haaland edition'.
But he's so much more than just business deals, sponsorships and goals. The 25-year-old, born in Leeds in England but made in Bryne, a small town in Norway's southwest, is somebody with a charming personality. His Snapchat remains one of the most entertaining things out there; it shows a footballer willing to engage in self-deprecation. One of his recent snaps was a picture of himself with Shrek with the caption 'selfie with my twin'. Followed by over 2.5mn, it's a rare glimpse into the life of one of the highest-paid footballers on the planet.
But behind all the jokes and memes is a man who's out to conquer the world, one goal at a time. "Every morning you have two choices," his bio reads. "Continue to sleep with your dreams or wake up and chase them."
