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Erling Haaland celebrates with the Norway national football team in Viking style after the World Cup Round of 16 match against Brazil on July 5, 2026. Photo by AP |
Following Haaland’s impressive performances at the 2026 World Cup, Brown expressed regret that the footballer didn’t pursue a career in basketball, Marca reported.
In a recent livestream, Brown discussed exciting matches from the 2026 World Cup, highlighting Norway’s games as they made a deep run in the tournament.
“Brazil played against Norway. I was at that game. Haaland went crazy in that game,” the Philadelphia 76ers star said.
Upon learning that the Norwegian striker is 1.95m tall, the 29-year-old basketball player was surprised.
“That’s what’s crazy. Bro needs to be hooping,” Brown added.
He emphasized that with his superior physique and natural athletic ability, Haaland could have been successful if he had committed to professional basketball instead of football.
Brown transferred to the Philadelphia 76ers from the Boston Celtics in July 2026.
He remains one of the top NBA stars, boasting multiple All-Star appearances and All-NBA selections. During his highly successful tenure with the Celtics, Brown reached the Eastern Conference Finals six times, won the 2023-2024 NBA championship and earned the Finals MVP award.
“I do believe if I had grown up playing soccer, I could have been [one of the best players]. I’m delusional though, I believe I can do anything,” he added.
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Jaylen Brown during a game for the Boston Celtics on April 21, 2026. Photo by Reuters |
Haaland, 26, is widely recognized as one of the best strikers in the world. With incredible pace, raw strength, excellent positioning and clinical finishing, he rose through the ranks at Bryne and Molde before moving to RB Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund and eventually joining Manchester City in 2022.
At the English club, Haaland quickly became a superstar of the Premier League. He significantly contributed to the team’s historic treble win in his first season and has consecutively conquered numerous titles since his arrival.
The prolific Norwegian striker has won the Premier League multiple times, secured the EPL Golden Boot three times and set numerous goalscoring records in the league. At the national team level, Haaland is already Norway’s all-time scorer.
At the 2026 World Cup, Haaland scored an impressive seven goals in five matches. He helped Norway reach the quarterfinals for the very first time before they were narrowly eliminated by England in extra time.
His outstanding performance on the global stage helped Haaland gain approximately 32.1 million new followers across social media platforms. He is enjoying a summer vacation in Italy and is expected to rejoin Manchester City for pre-season training next week.
The 26-year-old striker is likely to miss the upcoming FA Community Shield match between Manchester City and Arsenal at Wembley Stadium as he recovers from his busy summer.