Erling Haaland revealed that physical exhaustion, rather than tactical skill alone, motivated his 86th-minute winning goal against Ivory Coast in the Round of 32 at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The Manchester City forward admitted that nearing the end of the high-intensity match, his primary concern was to finish the game before extra time.
“I was dead tired, so I thought ‘I can’t cope with extra time, so we have to score’,” Haaland told Norwegian broadcaster TV2 via Reuters after the match.
Antonio Nusa opened the scoring for Norway in the first half, before Amad Diallo equalized with a solo goal for Ivory Coast. Haaland’s late strike secured a 2–1 victory for Norway, ending Ivory Coast’s historic run in their first World Cup knockout match.
The goal also propelled Haaland into football history, becoming the first player in 72 years to score in each of his first three FIFA World Cup career starts. It extended his scoring streak for Norway to 13 consecutive competitive international fixtures and marked his 60th goal in 53 appearances for his country.
Norway’s victory ensures progression to the Round of 16, where they will face five-time world champions Brazil in New York on Sunday, July 5. Haaland and his teammates will need to recover promptly for the challenging encounter ahead.
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