AFCON 2025
Erling Haaland delivered the two most important goals of his career on Sunday, scoring twice in the closing stages as Norway stunned five-time champions Brazil 2-1 in the Round of 16 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Haaland broke the deadlock in the 79th minute, rising above Arsenal rival Gabriel to head home a cross from substitute Andreas Schjelderup. The Manchester City striker then crashed in a second goal in the 90th minute to bury Brazil’s hopes of a sixth World Cup crown.
Brazil left Haaland with space outside the box, and he drilled a low shot through Danilo Santos’s legs and past goalkeeper Alisson for his second. Schjelderup again provided the assist. The brace pushed Haaland’s tournament tally to seven goals and an assist in four games, putting him level with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe on the Golden Boot leaderboard.
Neymar, introduced for only his second appearance of the tournament, pulled a goal back with a stoppage-time penalty, but it was not enough. Earlier in the match, Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland had saved a first-half spot-kick from Bruno Guimaraes, a stop that proved decisive in the final reckoning.
This was the historic moment for Norway. The Nordic nation reached its first-ever World Cup quarter-final, replicating the 2-1 scoreline from their previous World Cup meeting with Brazil at France ’98. Norway has appeared in the World Cup only four times, in 1938, 1994, 1998, and 2022, with their previous best finish a Round of 16 exit in 1998.
The defeat also condemned Brazil to their earliest World Cup exit since 1990, a stunning blow for a team many had backed to add a sixth star to their shirt. Brazil have now never beaten Norway in the history of the fixture.
Norway will now face the winner of Mexico and England in the quarter-finals, a stage the country has never reached before. For Haaland, still chasing his first major trophy with his national team, the win over Brazil already ranks among the greatest nights of his career.
