Erling Haaland has described Norway’s sensational victory over Brazil as something that still feels ‘unreal’, admitting he never imagined such a moment could happen in his career.

The Manchester City striker delivered a breathtaking performance, scoring twice in the second half to guide his nation to a historic 2-1 win over the five-time world champions in the World Cup round of 16 in New Jersey. With his brace, Haaland propelled Norway into their first-ever World Cup quarter-final, eliminated a tournament heavyweight, and kept his Golden Boot hopes firmly alive.

Haaland delivers a stunning blow to Brazil

Haaland turned match-winner for Norway with a late double that left Brazil stunned. The prolific forward opened the scoring with a powerful header in the 79th minute before sealing the victory with a composed low strike in the 90th minute. The match was filled with drama, as Bruno Guimaraes missed a crucial first-half penalty for Brazil, while Neymar’s late spot-kick only served as a consolation goal in stoppage time.

Showing respect for football’s most iconic nation

Speaking on his personal YouTube channel after the match, Haaland reflected on what it meant to defeat one of football’s most storied nations. The 23-year-old forward acknowledged that Brazil’s deep footballing heritage made the encounter particularly emotional for him.

Haaland said: “Brazil is a football nation. They’re probably the first country you learn about when you’re young because of all the legendary players who have represented them. The shirt, the flag, the passion, the greats they’ve produced – it’s unreal to play against Brazil.”

Norway embrace their underdog identity

Haaland revealed that Brazil’s reputation as favourites allowed Norway to play with freedom and without pressure. The former Borussia Dortmund striker admitted that, before the game, he thought beating a team with such a star-studded lineup was nearly impossible.

He added: “It still feels unreal, almost like something out of reach. I never thought this could actually happen, which makes the fact that we beat Brazil even more surreal. It’s absolutely incredible. I need to rest and get some sleep because I’m completely drained. This is unbelievable and truly breathtaking.”

England up next in quarter-final showdown

Norway’s remarkable World Cup journey will face another major test as they prepare to take on England in the quarter-finals in Miami this Saturday. Stale Solbakken’s men enter the clash riding a wave of confidence, especially after goalkeeper Orjan Nyland’s outstanding display and Haaland drawing level with Kylian Mbappe on seven goals in the tournament. The encounter is expected to be closely contested, with the Three Lions also eager to build momentum after narrowly overcoming Mexico in a heated last-16 battle.