Erling Haaland admission shows just what dream scenario would mean to Man City star

Norway can book their place at the World Cup tonight if they avoid a heavy defeat to Italy in their final qualifier

The first World Cup Erling Haaland remembers was the 2010 edition in South Africa. Fifteen years on tonight he can realise a lifelong dream of leading Norway to the global tournament.

The Norwegians haven't played in a World Cup since 1998, before Haaland was born, and when the 10-year-old sat down to watch the tournament in South Africa, Norway had been eliminated having finished a distant second to Netherlands in qualifying.

Back then the Norwegians were competitive but limited. Right now they are sweeping all before them, inspired by Haaland.

They have a perfect record of seven wins from seven, plundering 33 goals in the process, and need only to avoid losing by a nine-goal margin in Italy to book their place in the USA, Canada and Mexico next summer.

For Haaland, a player who has enjoyed incredible success at club level, the final whistle in Milan on Sunday night could signal his greatest achievement yet.

"The last World Cup [for Norway] was in 1998, two years before I was born, so I've been saying this for a long time. My goal is to take Norway to a World Cup and Euros," he said, speaking earlier this month.

"This is the main goal in my career and now I have a good chance to do it so it's about taking the chances."

He's certainly done that in qualifying, having scored 14 times to leave Norway on the brink. The country is ready to party and Haaland is ready to lead the celebrations.

"If we would qualify for the World Cup, it would be like another big nation winning it," he told Time this summer. "It would be the biggest party ever. Scenes in Oslo would be incredible."

Norway were 4-0 winners over Estonia on Thursday to move to the brink of a major tournament, having missed out on a place in Euro 2024 when they finished third behind Spain and Scotland in their qualifying group. That failure has weighed on head coach Stale Solbakken ahead of this campaign.

"We failed to go to the last European Championships, which we should have gone to," he told TV2 after the win over Estonia.

"Then everyone emphasises a longing to get to something. Then it was 25 to 26 years with something hanging over us. Someone has to take that responsibility."

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