Norway striker Erling Haaland says he has changed after his performances in the World Cup.
The Manchester City forward is heading home after Jude Bellingham’s double earned England a gutsy 2-1 win in Miami.
But Haaland has captivated a global audience with his showing in the USA, scoring seven goals in five appearances during Norway’s first World Cup since 1998.
“These things are surreal; I think this has changed me as a person,” he said. “I think my profile has grown a bit, let’s put it that way, and… It’s hard to even process it all right now when I look back at the games, but it’s incredibly special to be part of an event like this – something I used to watch from the sidelines, and now I’m living it first-hand.
“I feel immense pride, and I’m genuinely moved when I think about how well we performed, the sense of unity back in Norway, and the positivity and joy we’ve felt both there and here.”
England managed to restrict Haaland to a rare quiet showing in the quarter-final and Haaland wants more of a taste of the action in big tournaments to come.
He added: “This has been my goal for a long time, and I think after this tournament, we’ve put Norway on the map, so to speak. Now it’s about maintaining those standards. I’m incredibly proud.
“We proved that it’s possible to beat one of the biggest teams in the world, Brazil. We lost to England in the end, but we made them fight for it.
“Perhaps it could have gone differently. We’ve got more World Cups and Euros ahead of us; I think it’s time for us to really establish ourselves. We’ve got a fantastic generation.”
