Erling Haaland's excellence reportedly left one of his biggest rivals fuming, as the Manchester City striker prepares to lead Norway against Brazil in the World Cup 2026 round of 16. The 25-year-old has already scored five goals in his debut World Cup tournament, with Brazil's defence facing their toughest test yet.
Van Dijk's Frustration After Haaland's Performance
According to former Norway striker Jan Aage Fjortoft, Virgil van Dijk was so angered by Haaland's display in a 2019 Champions League match that he cut short a post-game interview. Salzburg, where Haaland played at the time, visited Anfield and trailed 3-0 after 36 minutes. However, a stunning comeback saw Hwang Hee-chan, Takumi Minamino, and Haaland score to make it 3-3, before Mohamed Salah scored the winner for Liverpool.
Fjortoft told the Blood Red podcast in 2020: "After the game, I interviewed Van Dijk, who I always like to interview because he is a gentleman, and I said, 'I have to ask you about the Norwegian, Erling Haaland.' And he just said, 'Well, we won the game.' So I said, 'Yes, but what do you think about him?' Van Dijk said, 'I didn’t see a lot of him,' and he was a bit angry because there were some mistakes done. And I said, 'It’s a good sign for a striker when a defender says he didn’t see him!' – and then he just went away, Van Dijk."
Haaland's Impact at the World Cup
Haaland has spearheaded Norway's charge in North America, leading them to the round of 16 for the first time since 1998. A victory over five-time world champions Brazil would see Norway reach the quarter-finals for just the third time in their history. The striker's five goals in the tournament have been crucial to his team's success.
Van Dijk's Difficult Tournament
While Haaland has thrived, Van Dijk endured a challenging World Cup with the Netherlands. The Dutch were held to a 2-2 draw against Japan in their opening game, with Van Dijk scoring the opener. They followed with 5-1 and 3-1 victories against Sweden and Tunisia, respectively, to top their group. However, they were knocked out on penalties by Morocco, who finished behind Brazil in their group.
