New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) As Norway are making a return to the FIFA World Cup after 28 years, Erling Haaland said his big goal was to get his country to the global showpiece, as he never experienced Norway being at the World Cup in his life.

Norway last qualified for a showpiece tournament at UEFA Euro 2000, a tournament which finished 19 days before Haaland was born, while the FIFA World Cup 1998 in France was their most recent trip to a global tournament.

After 28-years the Scandinavians finally booked their ticket to the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States with a 4-1 win against Italy in their final qualifier.

Haaland was the architect of their long-awaited World Cup dream. He scored at least once in all eight qualifiers, including a five-goal showing against Moldova and a brace in the qualification-clinching win away to Italy, taking him to a joint-record 16 strikes in qualifying.

“I’ve never experienced Norway being at the World Cup in my life, so I think it was about time. For me personally, it’s a huge thing. I’ve said it for a long time, my big goal is to get Norway to the World Cup,” Haaland told FIFA.

“That’s what I’m going to try to work towards. Now it’s finally happened and I’m super-happy for that, and super-excited for what’s next. You kind of got the relief and the joy everyone in the country had. It was amazing to experience.

“I never experienced the World Cup as a kid in this country. So, I’m super-happy for the kids in Norway to experience it, because I would have loved to have seen Norway playing in the World Cup. Every time I looked at the World Cup, I was rooting for another country, so it’s going to be nice,” he said.

Speaking about how it feels to walk out of the Boston Stadium tunnel for their opening bout with Iraq, Haaland said, “It will feel kind of like a dream come true. You know it’s more special, I think, because I’ve never experienced it. So, it will be an interesting feeling and experience because, again, I don’t know what I’m going into, because I’ve never been (there). I’m just looking forward to it – it’s going to be amazing.”

Norway will play all three of their FIFA World Cup 2026 matches in the USA, which is of added significance for Haaland. His father, Alf-Inge, played for the national side at USA 1994, with his appearances including a 1-0 defeat to Italy at Giants Stadium. That venue has since been demolished with New York New Jersey Stadium built in its place, where Erling and Co will take on Senegal on Matchday 2.

–IANS

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