Norway's star striker Erling Haaland stunned the football world at the FIFA World Cup 2026, scoring twice against five-time world champions Brazil in the pre-quarterfinal to send Norway into the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time ever. But few remember that this very Erling Haaland once faced India's junior football team nearly a decade ago, and for a long stretch of that match, India's defence kept him off the scoresheet entirely. The story is more than a footnote, it captures how far apart Norway's and India's footballing journeys have drifted since.
How Haaland powered Norway past Brazil
In the World Cup's pre-quarterfinal clash, Norway faced Brazil, and most experts backed Brazil, a five-time world champion side, to advance. Haaland had other plans. In the 79th minute he headed Norway into the lead, then struck again late in the match to seal the win before the final whistle. Norway closed out the game 2-1, and with that historic result the team reached the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals for the very first time in its history.
A decade ago, the same Haaland lined up against India
The striker now regarded as one of the most feared forwards in world football was once held scoreless for long stretches by India's junior side. The match dates back to 2016, when India's Under-17 team was preparing for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup. As part of that preparation, India faced Norway's Under-16 team, and Erling Haaland was part of that Norwegian squad. For the first 45 minutes, India's players defended solidly, and the first half ended goalless at 0-0. Up to that point, even Haaland had failed to find the net.
One red card changed everything
The complexion of the match shifted dramatically in the second half, when Indian defender Sanjeev Stalin was shown a second yellow card and had to leave the field. India were reduced to 10 players, and that is exactly when the game turned. In the 57th minute, Haaland finally broke through with his first goal, and soon after Erik Botheim added a second to hand Norway a 2-0 win. Had India been able to play out the match with a full complement of 11 players, the contest might well have stayed far closer and more competitive.
Haaland's rise and Indian football's slower climb
The Erling Haaland who was part of that Norway Under-16 side in 2016 has since grown into one of the biggest superstars in world football. From English club football to the World Cup stage, he has repeatedly proven himself a relentless goal machine. Several players from that Indian Under-17 squad did go on to represent the senior national team and play in the Indian Super League, or ISL, but Indian football never quite made the leap forward that many had hoped for at the time.
Level with Mbappé and Messi in the Golden Boot race
With his two goals against Brazil, Haaland has now scored seven goals at this World Cup, putting him shoulder to shoulder with two of the game's biggest names, Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi, in the race for the Golden Boot. At just 26 years old, Haaland has reached a milestone in Norwegian football history that would have seemed almost unimaginable only a few years ago.
India still waiting to return to the big stage
What stands out is that back in 2016, India's and Norway's junior teams looked evenly matched on the pitch, with India's defence denying the future star striker a goal for almost the entire first half. But in the ten years since, the two countries' footballing paths have diverged sharply. Norway built a strong global reputation on the back of players like Haaland and has now reached the World Cup quarterfinals, while India remains stuck at 138th in the FIFA rankings, still waiting for its own return to world football's biggest stage.
