Erling Haaland struck twice in the closing stages to give Norway a 2-1 victory over Brazil and a place in the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in the nation’s history. The 25-year-old Manchester City forward, who had been largely contained for much of the evening, broke the deadlock in the 79th minute and then added a second in the 90th, rendering Neymar’s stoppage-time reply a mere footnote. The result eliminated the five-time champions and sent Norwegian supporters into delirium across the stadiums of North America.

Viewed from Oslo, the win rewrites the country’s football narrative. Norway had never before advanced beyond the round of 16 at a World Cup, and the manner of the victory — a late, individual takeover against a traditional power — instantly elevated Haaland’s status at home. His seven goals in the tournament now place him level with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé atop the scoring charts, a fact noted with particular interest in Argentina and France, where the race for the Golden Boot is followed as closely as the team competitions themselves.

The physical foundation for such decisive interventions has been a subject of intense curiosity. Haaland himself has documented a daily intake of up to 6,000 calories, built around red meat, organ meats such as heart and liver, raw milk, and filtered water. In his own words, he prioritises “food of quality and as local as possible,” a principle he illustrated by sourcing tomahawk steaks directly from a Cheshire farm. His recovery protocols are equally meticulous: ten hours of sleep, red-light therapy, saunas, and ice baths are non-negotiable elements of a routine designed to sustain his 1.95-metre frame through the accumulated fatigue of a major tournament. Analysts in London note that such regimens, while extreme, are increasingly common among elite forwards seeking marginal gains in explosiveness and durability.

Off the pitch, the evening produced a brief flashpoint when an Argentine journalist attempted to interview Haaland after he had already completed his mixed-zone obligations. “I just spoke for 15 minutes in there! Didn’t you see me?” the striker retorted before walking away, an exchange that quickly circulated on social media in South America. In India, meanwhile, Haaland’s pre-existing popularity — fuelled by his professed love for butter chicken and lamb chops, and a 2016 youth goal against the country’s under-17 side — has only grown, with his performances dominating dinnertime conversations among a new generation of fans.

Norway now face England in the quarter-finals on Saturday, a fixture that will test whether Haaland’s individual brilliance can carry a nation deeper into uncharted territory. For Brazil, the early exit will prompt familiar soul-searching, while the Norwegian camp, still absorbing the scale of the achievement, must quickly turn their focus to a side that has conceded only twice in the tournament.