Sports
Erling Haaland Becomes Norway’s All-Time Leading Scorer in Nations League Victory
Erling Haaland marked his inaugural game as the captain of the Norwegian national team by making history as Norway‘s all-time leading scorer in a decisive 3-0 victory over Slovenia. The Nations League match, held on Thursday, saw Haaland score his 33rd international goal with a right-footed shot from a rebound in the seventh minute, equaling the long-standing record set by the late Jorgen Juve.
Haaland surpassed Juve’s record, which had remained unbroken since 1937, by adding another goal with assistance from Martin Ødegaard after the halftime interval. Alexander Sørloth also contributed by scoring Norway’s second goal, cementing their win. “Of course, it is big and historic. I’m happy, and it’s a fantastic record to achieve,” Haaland expressed to reporters. “I have many years left. I’m enjoying myself,” he added, reflecting on his milestone achievement.
The 24-year-old’s record-setting performance came in his 36th international appearance for Norway, having previously scored 32 goals in 35 games. His influence on the field extended beyond scoring, as he was instrumental in both defensive plays and offensive drives. Haaland also emphasized Norway’s comprehensive team effort, stating, “It was a well executed match. I am proud. It is a record that has stood for a long time … I felt good. It’s been a long time since I’ve had this much energy on the field.”
With the victory, Norway now leads League B Group 3 in the Nations League standings, securing seven points, three points ahead of both Austria and Slovenia, and four points above Kazakhstan, who sit at the bottom with one point. Stale Solbakken‘s side will now prepare for a challenging away game against Austria on Sunday. Haaland urged caution despite their strong position, saying, “Now we have a hard away game — even though we won at home, we must not build up our expectations too much, we must not hype ourselves up too much.”
Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.