Erling Haaland makes ‘a lot on my shoulders’ claim as part of Man City striker’s ‘great responsibility’ to lead Norway to first World Cup in 28 years

Erling Haaland stood on the training pitch in Milan with the cold November wind touching his face and the noise of cameras clicking from every direction. The whole world was watching him, not because of Manchester City this time, but because of Norway. Because of a dream that had been sleeping for twenty-eight years. Because of a nation that had waited too long for a World Cup return. Because of a young man who believed he was born to carry this responsibility. Erling Haaland looked around and he did not smile. He looked like somebody who knew that history was on his shoulders, and he knew that one bad night could destroy everything Norway had worked for. That was the weight he was talking about when he said there is “a lot on my shoulders.” And anybody who looked into his eyes knew he meant it.

Norway had won seven straight matches, scoring thirty-three goals, destroying Moldova 11-1, controlling Estonia 4-0, and winning the first match against Italy 3-0 with Haaland scoring together with Alexander Sorloth and Antonio Nusa. It sounded perfect, it looked simple on paper, but football is not mathematics and Haaland knew the biggest match was still waiting. Italy is Italy. Proud, strong, historical, brutal when they need to be. A country that hates missing big tournaments and a country still angry for not qualifying for the 2022 World Cup. They wanted revenge on destiny, and Norway was the team blocking them. That is why Haaland felt the pressure. He knew one small mistake could bring nightmares again for Norway and could send the country into another painful waiting period.

Fourteen of Norway’s thirty-three goals came from Haaland alone. That is not normal. That is not luck. That is responsibility. Every pass, every cross, every corner, every run found him. Even when he was double-marked and fighting against defenders who were pulling shirts and kicking ankles, the whole team still trusted him to score. It was almost unfair how much Norway needed him, but Haaland never complained. When journalists asked if the pressure was too much, he only looked at them and said, “I feel great responsibility to bring Norway to the World Cup. It’s a lot on my shoulders, I know, but that’s what I’ve been working for.” His voice was calm but his mind was racing. He had been saying this since 2019, when he first stepped into the national team. He was only nineteen back then, skinny but confident, with that fearless smile of a boy who didn’t know fear yet. Now at twenty-five he was bigger, stronger, more powerful, more famous, and more experienced, but he was also aware that fame means nothing if you do not deliver for your country when they need you most.

When he spoke to the press, he admitted that Norway has never qualified for a World Cup in his lifetime. It sounded like a simple sentence but it carried the emotions of an entire generation. Everybody in Norway grew up hearing stories about 1994 and 1998, about great players like Solskjaer and Flo and about the World Cup excitement that filled every street. But for almost three decades those stories were only memories. Kids heard them like fairy tales. And now, finally, Haaland had the power to turn the dream into reality. That is why the whole nation was emotional. Norway believed again because Haaland made them believe.

He also remembered his father, Alf-Inge Haaland, who played at the 1994 World Cup in the USA. That is why this qualification felt even more personal. Imagine playing in the same World Cup thirty-two years after your father did. Imagine carrying your family history and your country’s history at the same time. Haaland knew it, he talked about it, and he said it would be special to step on American soil and play at the World Cup just like his father once did. Even the strongest people in football would feel emotional in that situation. Haaland was not ashamed to show it.

And yet behind that emotional dream there was fear. Haaland said he had been feeling pressure since he joined the national team at nineteen years old. He said back then he did not know how to control the pressure. He said it scared him and sometimes it affected the way he played. But he also said things are different now. “Now I’m better. Now I think I’m an expert.” That line became a symbol for Norway. It meant Norway has grown. It meant Haaland has grown. It meant maybe this time destiny was on their side.

But Italy did not care about destiny. Italy needed to win by nine goals to qualify automatically. Nine goals. Impossible, everybody said. But that was the danger. Italy had nothing to lose. They could attack wildly, take risks, and throw everything at Norway. And if Norway panicked or lost focus, football could show its dark side. Haaland knew that. Norway knew that. The fans knew that. There was no space for mistakes. Not for one second.

Haaland had scored in every single World Cup qualifying game except two club defeats against Tottenham and Aston Villa. That form was terrifying for defenders. Norway trusted that if Haaland got just one chance in Milan, he would take it. Meanwhile, Italy would use every tactical trick to stop him. They would close space, block passes to him, and try to push him physically to frustrate him. But Haaland has lived his whole life inside that war zone of defenders. If they pushed him, he pushed back harder. If they wanted a fight, he gave them a war.

The streets of Norway were quiet the night before the Italy match. It felt like the whole nation was holding its breath at the same time. Restaurants, bars, houses, offices, schools, and even airports were preparing for Sunday night. They knew history depended on what happened in Milan. They wanted to celebrate, but nobody celebrated before the job was done. They trusted Haaland but they also feared football. Anything could happen.

Haaland’s teammates also felt the pressure. Sorloth, Nusa, Odegaard, Aursnes, and the others had one job: give Haaland the ball. They had to protect him, support him, and make sure he had the chance to finish what he started. They were proud to play with him. They were proud to fight with him. They knew that if Norway finally reached the World Cup, Erling Haaland’s name would be written in Norwegian history forever.

People around the world were talking about this match. Commentators, former players, journalists, and fans from other nations were excited because they knew Haaland at the World Cup would be incredible for football as a whole. Some people compared the situation to Cristiano Ronaldo qualifying for Portugal’s first World Cup as a star, or Lionel Messi carrying Argentina when everything depended on him. Now it was Haaland’s turn. The next global icon. The next superstar expected to dominate the World Cup stage.

Even in Manchester, where he is the king of the Etihad and the goal machine of Pep Guardiola’s system, fans paused to support Norway. They posted messages online, wishing him good luck, saying they wanted to see their striker dominate the world stage. Manchester City fans wanted another chapter in his legend. Norway fans wanted the biggest night in their country’s football history. Even neutral fans wanted to see Haaland on the biggest football stage because everybody knows that something big always happens when Haaland is around. And Haaland? He only wanted one thing. To make his country proud.

He trained like it was the Champions League final. He spoke to his teammates quietly and seriously, telling them they must remain calm even when the pressure becomes unbearable. He reminded them that Italy would come with fire. He reminded them that if Norway controlled the first thirty minutes, Italy would panic. Italy hated losing control. Norway needed to survive the storm and then attack like lions.

The players listened to their striker because they respected him deeply. Haaland was not only the best player in Norway, he was their leader. Not a captain who shouted every second, but a captain with actions and with goals. When he speaks, you listen. When he moves, you follow. That is football leadership.

The night before the match, Haaland sat alone for a long time in his hotel room. Not on his phone, not watching videos, not talking to anyone. Just thinking. Thinking about his father in 1994. Thinking about Norway in 1998. Thinking about the little boy version of himself who dreamed of the World Cup while watching other countries play. Thinking about the responsibility he had accepted with his whole heart. He said many times that he was born to score goals, born to play football, born to break records. But that night he realized something else. He was born to carry Norway.

He slept late. He woke up early. And when he walked into the stadium, the famous San Siro, the world watched him again. Some Italian fans booed him. Some Norwegian fans sang his name loudly. Haaland did not react. He stayed silent. But inside, he was burning with motivation.

He did not need to prove he was a superstar. He already did that in Manchester. He did not need to silence critics. He did not need to show the world who he was. All of that was already known. He only needed to finish the job for Norway.

The match was about more than football. It was about identity. It was about family. It was about pride. It was about history. If Norway held on, they would qualify for their first World Cup in twenty-eight years. If they collapsed, everything they built would fall apart.

When Haaland stepped onto the pitch, his expression did not show fear, but it showed responsibility. The whole world saw it. A superstar carrying a country. A warrior prepared for a historical night. A son dreaming of following his father’s footsteps. A generation hoping that their time had finally come. Norway waited twenty-eight years for this. Haaland waited his whole life.

Tonight, in Milan, everything would be decided. And Haaland would do absolutely everything to make sure Norway finally returned to the World