Norway is celebrating. And the man responsible is a 1.98-meter giant who meditates, honors his parents, and scores goals as if it were nothing. Erling Haaland, the Android, was lethal again: with two great goals against Brazil, he eliminated the five-time world champions and took his country to the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup.
“I think I’m starting to realize that it’s a gift from God that the ball goes in perfectly, kissing the post. It’s crazy,” said the center forward after the match, with a smile he couldn’t hide. And no wonder: with seven goals in four matches, he tied Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé at the top of the scoring charts, but with fewer shots on goal (18 compared to 24 and 26, respectively).
Patience is his secret. Against Brazil, he touched the ball only 13 times; four were on target and two ended up in the net. “My dream is to touch the ball five times and score five goals. People worry because I don’t touch the ball much, but I stay focused,” he once said. And he confirmed it at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
But it’s not all brute force. Haaland meditates. His lotus celebration, with crossed legs, is a well-known image. “It’s a very positive discipline, it helps me relax. Stress is not good for anyone, I hate being stressed, meditating helps me push away some stressful thoughts,” he explained in the past. Against Brazil, he didn’t assume the pose, but he stood still, upright, while his teammates hugged him.
The goal-scorer is also a grateful son. On his jersey, he wears both surnames: Braut Haaland. A tribute to his mother, Gry Marita Braut, a former heptathlon champion who instilled in him humility, respect, and a rejection of violence. And to his father, Alf-Inge, a former Manchester City and Norway national team player who took part in the 1994 World Cup in the United States. “My father told me that every World Cup match is like playing finals, and in each one you leave your skin on the pitch,” Erling revealed.
Norway, a country of 5.5 million people, dreams big. “We are not a big country, but then at the World Cup you see small countries doing incredible things. That’s why we hope to qualify in 2026,” Haaland had said three years earlier. And they certainly did. Now, the Viking team advances with the symbolic oar led by their captain Martin Odegaard, but which Haaland strikes furiously after every victory.
Beyond football, the Android takes care of his machine. He turns off the Wi-Fi to sleep well, meditates to ward off stress, and even invests in a company that makes hair ties, his trademark. “We keep pushing forward,” he said before leaving the stadium. And Norway follows him, hoping this World Cup dream never ends.
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che para mi este noruego se cree un elegido de dios jajaja el fobal es de los laburantes no de los millonarios que meditan y los medios llamandolo androide es un burócrata del gol nomas igual bien que le rompio el orto a brasil esos vendepatria
para mi este noruego es un crack de dios la concha de la lora no como estos zurdos de mierda q no creen en nada messi y mbappe son unos muertos al lado del androide vamos carajo haaland campeon del mundo la concha de tu madre argentina 🇳🇴⚽💪🏻