By Jamie SpencerTo understand the international popularity of Norway and Erling Haaland at this World Cup you need look no further than retailers struggling to keep the team’s red home shirt with the striking blue Nordic cross in stock since it was first launched in March.Ahead of the team’s first ever World Cup quarter-final (in men’s football), the jersey is sold out. In Norway, reports tell of fans queuing around the block at local sports stores in an effort to get hold of one during limited restocks. Online, Nike has none to serve a wider audience captivated by a nation competing on the global stage for the first time this century.Norway’s football federation (NFF) admitted to the BBC it “severely underestimated” demand.Norway’s recent FIFA ranking historyNorway arrived in North America this summer identified by many as a dark horse, remarkable considering the team had previously failed to qualify for 12 consecutive World Cup and European Championship tournaments since a group stage elimination at Euro 2000.It would be unfair to suggest their qualification this time after so many failures – as recently as Euro 2024 qualifying, Norway were a distant third in a group behind Spain and Scotland – was a result of the World Cup’s expansion. More qualifying groups in 2026 meant more automatic places but Norway won all eight games, including home and away against Italy. Haaland scored 16 goals across those eight fixtures. The next top-scoring players in Europe got eight each.Once the World Cup began, the team quickly made light work of Iraq and were more ruthless than a dangerous Senegal. A 4-1 defeat to France should be taken with a pinch of salt, with Norway resting 10 usual starters in the Group I dead rubber and the French still going pedal to the metal. Haaland scored braces in the successive wins and sat out the latter entirely.Norway’s 2026 golden generation surpasses 1990s peakNorway is experiencing a second golden generation, of which Haaland is front and centre. This team has already eclipsed the achievements of the first that went to two World Cups in 1994 and 1998, and was second in FIFA’s world rankings for almost two years between 1993 and 1995.But that team, featuring the likes of Alf Inge Haaland, Jan Åge Fjørtoft, Lars Bohinen, Øyvind Leonhardsen, and later on Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Ronny Johnsen and Tore André Flo, won only one game each in 1994 and 1998. The latter at least resulted in a knockout berth, but Norway promptly lost to Italy in the round of 16. Already in 2026, Norway have won four out of five games and progressed through two knockout rounds to get into Saturday’s quarter-final against England. Ivory Coast were no pushovers, then it was Brazil – beating the Seleção was a statement.Haaland scored both goals, winning hands down his individual duel with Gabriel Magalhães that had been a significant pre-match talking point given the rivalry that has grown from going head-to-head at club level in the Premier League. That took him to seven goals for the tournament, as many as Norway, as an entire nation, had scored across all three previous World Cups appearances.Haaland’s shot map at the 2026 World CupAs much as Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé have dominated the headlines with their goalscoring feats, Haaland has been a major draw. Even though his status as one of the biggest names in the sport has been supercharged since joining Manchester City in 2023, his personality also seems to be coming out a lot more at this tournament, when players are typically more accessible to media. He is equally active on social media and has jokingly called out England legend Wayne Rooney – “Wayney boy” – who vowed to row the River Mersey if Norway made the last eight, to make good.Haaland triumphantly led Norway’s post-match ‘row’ celebration after defeating Brazil, banging the drum for each stroke, and generally appears to be loving life. It probably makes him play better, rather than be consumed by the pressure of living up to his billing.Erling Haaland vs Harry KaneWith the hype before the quarter-final focused on Haaland vs. Harry Kane – a viral AI-created video circulating in the build-up depicts one leading a Viking invasion of a kingdom being defended by the other – mentality makes him extra dangerous. This is not someone who will shrink in the spotlight.But he’s respectful too and not deliberately contentious, notably calling Kane “one of the best” this week. There is a feeling it will be one of them that decides this all-or-nothing tieThe raw numbers show what a monster Haaland is. Over the last eight seasons, stretching back to his breakout at Red Bull Salzburg, the striker has scored 277 club goals. He made his senior Norway debut in September 2019 and has netted more than a goal per game since – it’s 62 in 54 caps.Haaland became Norway’s all-time top scorer in 2024, three months after turning 24, a record that had stood for 87 years. He is already only four shy of doubling the old mark (33). Due to turn 26 two days after the World Cup final, it’s unfathomable where he could take that ceiling, but eventually challenging Cristiano Ronaldo’s world record of 146 cannot be counted out.Stopping Haaland for England will not be a case of a centre-back going head-to-head against him in a battle of brute strength. Even if Thomas Tuchel had that kind of defender available, Gabriel’s plight across multiple encounters in different settings in recent months suggests it’s not the way to go.Haaland doesn’t generally involve himself in build-up play anyway, touching the ball 30 times or less in each appearance so far at this World Cup. He comes alive in the key moments and is ruthlessly efficient. England must instead target the supply chain – Norway’s midfielders, wingers and full-backs – cutting Haaland off at source. If England keep him off the scoresheet, there is a much better chance for them. But if Haaland and his support cast can outfox the Three Lions, the semi-finals are calling.Norway’s World Cup run so far…(Images from IMAGO)You can follow every game from the World Cup with FotMob – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.Add FotMob as a preferred news source on Google by clicking – here.