According to The Athletic, in Norway's 1-2 UEFA Nations League loss to Wales away from home, Haaland was completely neutralized by the home team's center-backs Cabango and captain Ben Davies, creating almost no decent scoring opportunities throughout the match. However, since the summer World Cup journey, the Norwegian national team has experienced unprecedented attention and public enthusiasm under Haaland's immense influence, with a fundamental transformation in the team's outlook.

Throughout the match, Haaland was remarkably restricted by Wales' resolute defense, achieving almost nothing. His first opportunity in the game came in the 57th minute—a header that flew high over the bar, after which Wales fans sarcastically chanted, referring to their own 1.95m tall target man Kieffer Moore.

With ten minutes remaining, home side Wales still led 10-man Norway 2-1—Torbjørn Heggem had been sent off with a red card at the start of the second half. Haaland had another header chance, but this time he nodded the ball directly into the arms of goalkeeper Danny Ward.

At Cardiff City Stadium, Norway's number 9 faced an in-form Cam Cabango—the Swansea City Championship center-back—and the highly experienced Tottenham defender Ben Davies, who was making his 103rd appearance for Wales. Under their marking, Haaland struggled to find scoring chances, and Craig Bellamy's Wales finally secured their first victory of 2025 in their seventh match, ending a three-game losing streak.

Although Haaland's name did not appear on the scoreboard in this match, he has scored 3 goals in the first three UEFA Nations League matches during this international break. His current record for the Norwegian national team stands at an astonishing 65 goals in 58 appearances.

Haaland's extraordinary goal-scoring ability and rising international fame have propelled Norwegian football to new heights, leading to an explosive increase in external interest in the national team.

At last summer's World Cup, Ståle Solbakken's Norway team defeated five-time champions Brazil to reach the quarterfinals and pushed England into extra time in the quarterfinals before narrowly losing. Since then, Norway seems to have finally shed its image of being perennially weak and long absent from major tournaments. Before this, they had endured a painful 28-year absence from international competitions.

The Norwegian team's performance during the World Cup inspired the entire nation, and their iconic "Viking Thunderclap" celebration after matches became a global sensation. For a country of approximately 5.6 million people, that outpouring of joy was a significant cultural moment.

Former Norwegian international goalkeeper Erik Thorstvedt told The Athletic: "It was so big, so incredible, almost overwhelming. We are supposed to be a reserved and introverted people, but what happened in Norway was something we had never seen before. Some even believe that the burst of enthusiasm and the sense of unity that emerged in the country have changed Norway forever. And obviously, Haaland is a key part of that."

"Haaland completely emerged as an international superstar at the World Cup. It's hard to find a superstar like him who draws almost no detractors. He is crucial to the national team's success; just looking at the goals he scores, having him on the field is almost like starting 1-0 up."

Håvard Melnæs, a journalist for Norwegian magazine Josimar, also agreed: "What happened in the summer was like a collective party. Thousands of fans flocked to Oslo's main street, Karl Johans gate, wildly performing the Viking Thunderclap, especially after we beat Brazil. Haaland is like Norway's global ambassador. In Oslo, you can't walk 50 meters without seeing Haaland on a billboard or endorsing a product. Last summer in the US, he made the ultimate leap into the ranks of global football superstars."

During the World Cup, Haaland shone, scoring seven goals in five matches. But his engaging personality, showcased in video blogs for his personal social media channels, also helped him break through football barriers and reach a wider international audience.

In a video filmed shortly after defeating Côte d'Ivoire in the World Cup group stage, Haaland walked into a Western-themed store in Dallas, enthusiastically trying on various cowboy hats and boots, wearing a T-shirt that read "You can all kiss my Dallas."

Haaland opened his social media accounts in 2024 and now has over 4.5 million subscribers. During the World Cup, his Instagram followers also surged by approximately 30 million.

Shortly after the World Cup, Haaland was photographed wearing a Dolce & Gabbana suit, attending the brand's fashion show in Italy with his girlfriend and fellow Norwegian teammate and close friend Sander Berge and his partner. All of this highlights Haaland's broad influence.

His rise as a global star off the pitch, coupled with his astonishing goal-scoring efficiency on it, together make him an all-around top-tier complete package. Recently, Haaland's team, Manchester City, has faced a major shock, and major European clubs will undoubtedly be closely monitoring his future movements.

Haaland signed a nine-year long-term contract with Manchester City last January. But last Friday, The Athletic exclusively revealed that Manchester City had been found to have violated most of the 115 financial charges brought by the Premier League. The verdict announced this Tuesday showed that Manchester City had inflated revenue and reduced costs by over £950 million. Manchester City still maintains its innocence and has the right to appeal before this Friday.

The 26-year-old forward has not yet publicly commented on Manchester City's verdict. He was originally scheduled to attend Norway's pre-match press conference against Portugal last Saturday but was ultimately withdrawn, with teammates Ødegaard and Schjelderup attending in his place. However, judging by his performance during this international break, the club's turmoil does not seem to have overly affected his play.

The Haaland effect and the Norwegian team's comeback mean that the team is receiving unprecedented attention, and the excitement surrounding the squad is at its peak. Demand for match tickets is extremely strong, and Nike-produced replica Norway jerseys sold out during the World Cup. The Norwegian Football Federation announced a renewal of their contract with the brand last year, with the new agreement extending from January 2027 to 2032.

Runar Pål Andresen, Chief Marketing Officer of the Norwegian Football Federation, said at the time: "The new agreement will bring substantial financial benefits and the delivery of top-tier equipment, and the Norwegian Football Federation has also been placed in the same tier as footballing nations like England and France."

Thorstvedt, who made 97 appearances for Norway in the 1980s and 90s, said that the atmosphere in the national team is now completely different, with captain Martin Ødegaard—the core of both Arsenal and Norway—being another star player in the team. Before the match against Wales, large numbers of Norwegian fans were visible in the streets of Cardiff. Thorstvedt added: "When I played for Norway in Oslo, there were only 3,500 spectators. But they tell me that for the match against Portugal, even 100,000 tickets wouldn't be enough, and the stadium capacity is only nearly 30,000."

Alf Ingve Berntsen, Haaland's coach at Bryne FK from ages eight to sixteen, said he has noticed a significant increase in tourists to the small town in southern Norway. "Our whole city only has just over 13,000 residents, so outside visitors are easily recognized," he told The Athletic. "It's all because of Erling."

However, Haaland has won the hearts of Norwegian fans not only through his extraordinary goal statistics but also through his demeanor. Through those videos, fans have also caught a glimpse of his personality. Håkon Grøtland, Head of Player Development at the Norwegian Football Federation, once stated in an interview that Haaland truly embodies the team culture of collectivism over individualism, regardless of his superstar status. This philosophy stems from the "National Team School" youth academy program launched by the Norwegian Football Federation in 2013.

Grøtland said in an interview last summer: "There are no jerks in the team, only good lads. Haaland, like the other players, just loves being in the national team because he is part of a collective." Berntsen also agreed: "His performance at the World Cup was fantastic, friendly and humble, not arrogant like some other superstars. He has made many Norwegians proud, and we feel more global attention, largely because of Erling's personality."

Thorstvedt explained that the national team's motto has always been "stronger together." "We like this collectivism, but obviously things are changing, and we absolutely love our star. Haaland's comments about unity and team spirit during the World Cup truly touched the heartstrings of the entire nation."

Haaland has also never been shy about expressing national pride, leading the drumming and the full-stadium "Viking Thunderclap" after defeating Brazil, with childlike wonder and a bright smile on his face. Haaland once said after losing to England in the World Cup quarterfinals: "On-field performance is one thing, beating Brazil is another, but what touched me the most is perhaps the way we put Norway on the world sports map."

This defeat by the same score against a determined Wales, for a Norwegian team that beat Denmark in their first Nations League match and then lost to Portugal last weekend, is undoubtedly a sobering reality check. But as long as they have Haaland, who averages more than a goal per game, Norway hopes last night was just an accidental slip-up, and they can continue to build on the success of the World Cup at the next European Championship in two years—Norway's only previous appearance at the Euros was in 2000, weeks before Haaland was born.

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