Erling Haaland Reflects on Norway's Historic World Cup Journey After Quarter-Final Exit
Haaland Thanks Fans Following World Cup Departure
In Florida on July 13, Norway's striker Erling Haaland expressed his gratitude to fans after his team's FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign concluded with a 2-1 loss to England in the quarter-finals.
Haaland took to X to share his thoughts on Norway's remarkable journey in the tournament, thanking supporters for their unwavering backing.
He wrote, "It’s been quite a ride, thank you for making it so special," on his X account.
It’s been quite a row, thank you for making it so special
pic.twitter.com/SugqGCvWn5
— Erling Haaland (@Erling) July 12, 2026
Norway's impressive World Cup run came to an end as England secured a spot in the semi-finals, where they will face Argentina, the defending champions who triumphed over Switzerland 3-1.
Norway initially took the lead in Miami with a goal from Andreas Schjelderup during a strong start, where Haaland also challenged England's goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
— Erling Haaland (@Erling) July 12, 2026
However, England's Jude Bellingham equalized in first-half stoppage time and later scored again in extra time after Norway's goalkeeper Orjan Nyland mishandled a shot from Morgan Rogers.
With this, England clinched a 2-1 victory, ending Norway's best-ever FIFA World Cup campaign.
— Erling Haaland (@Erling) July 12, 2026
This quarter-final marked a significant achievement for Norway, as it was their first time reaching the last eight since returning to the World Cup after a long absence since 1998.
Despite the disappointing exit, Haaland had an exceptional tournament, scoring in every group-stage match and in both the Round of 32 and Round of 16, finishing as Norway's top scorer with a total of seven goals.