🚨New: Gareth Bale on why what Haaland is doing for Norway is bigger than what Mbappé is doing for France:
🗣️ “What Erling Haaland is doing with Norway is bigger than what Kylian Mbappé is doing with France. Bigger. Much bigger.
France is a five-star hotel. Norway is a cabin in the mountains. One man is checking into luxury; the other is building the house with his bare hands.
Mbappé walks into every tournament surrounded by world-class players in every position. If he has a quiet game, someone else wins it. Haaland doesn’t have that privilege. If he doesn’t score, Norway often doesn’t breathe.
Put Haaland in that French team and tell me he doesn’t destroy records. Now put Mbappé in Norway and tell me he reaches a quarter-final. Football doesn’t work like fantasy.
Greatness is not measured by how fast you drive a Ferrari. It is measured by how far you can push a bicycle uphill.
Haaland isn’t decorating an empire, he’s building one from scratch. Every goal he scores changes the history of Norwegian football. Every win means something because Norway has spent decades watching tournaments from the sofa.
France expects trophies. Norway dreams of qualifying. That’s the difference in pressure. One is protecting a kingdom. The other is trying to create one.
So don’t confuse privilege with greatness. Mbappé is phenomenal, nobody questions that. But Haaland is carrying a nation that has no safety net, no endless conveyor belt of Ballon d’Or candidates, no luxury of replacing a superstar with another superstar.
That’s why, for me, what Haaland is doing is heavier. It’s like carrying a mountain while everyone applauds the man walking downhill. Until people understand context, they’ll keep celebrating medals and ignoring miracles.”
Iker Casillas on Ørjan Nyland's incredible performance against Brazil:
🗣"I understand Erling Haaland will get most of the headlines because he scored the goals that won Norway the match, but for me, the real hero was Ørjan Nyland.
A goalkeeper can change the entire story of a game, and that's exactly what he did. He made save after save when Brazil were piling on the pressure, giving his defenders the confidence to keep fighting. Those weren't routine stops,they were decisive moments that kept Norway alive.
Saving a penalty at the World Cup is massive, but what impressed me even more was the composure he showed throughout the match. The save to deny Endrick from close range was world-class, and every time Brazil looked ready to score, Nyland had an answer.
These are the performances people remember for years. Haaland finished the chances, but Nyland built the platform for Norway's victory. Without him, I don't think Norway reaches the quarter-finals."
Pep Guardiola on Erling Haaland’s brace against Brazil:
🗣️ “Erling Haaland has just destroyed one of the biggest football nations on the planet. This wasn’t just a brace this was a statement to the entire world.
Brazil came into this tournament believing they would be lifting the trophy. Instead, one man ripped those dreams apart. Haaland didn’t fear the yellow shirt, the five stars or the history. He looked at Brazil and said, ‘Tonight belongs to me.’
This is what separates great players from legendary ones. When the pressure is unbearable and the whole world is watching, Haaland becomes even more ruthless. He doesn’t ask for moments he creates them.
Every Brazilian defender will have nightmares about this performance. Every football fan will remember where they were when Haaland tore Brazil apart on the biggest stage.
People will talk about Norway’s historic victory, but the image that will live forever is Erling Haaland standing tall after scoring twice and sending Brazil crashing out of the World Cup. That is the performance of a superstar who has announced to the world that this tournament belongs to him.”
🚨Carlo Ancelotti on Erling Haaland:
🎙️ Reporter: “People always talk about Erling Haaland’s strength and speed. Is that what makes him so dangerous?”
🗣️ Carlo Ancelotti:
“No. That’s just what people see first.
What makes Erling different is his timing.
He doesn’t waste energy chasing every ball or wrestling defenders for ninety minutes. He studies them. He waits. He understands exactly when a defender loses concentration.
Then, in one second, he’s gone.
You can defend perfectly against him for eighty-nine minutes, but football is decided by moments, and Erling is probably the best in the world at recognising those moments.
That’s why defenders hate playing against him. You think you’ve controlled him all game, and suddenly he’s celebrating another goal.
Dear Norway fans… you are, without question, the finest supporters this tournament has seen.
From a nation of just over five and a half million people, you travelled across oceans, filled stadiums, painted American streets red and white and turned every single game into a festival of noise, pride and pure joy.
28 years away from the World Cup stage and you returned not with entitlement, but with energy. Not just with noise, but with meaning.
The Viking Row didn’t just inspire your players. It inspired everyone. Opponents. Neutrals. The entire watching world.
The quarter finals. You deserve every single second of it. Keep going. Keep rowing. Norway, the world is behind you. 🇳🇴
Yesterday’s refereeing was one of the best I’ve seen in a long time.
For the first 15 minutes, the ref fell for Arsenal’s shenanigans: blowing a foul for every slight fall and every little touch. Then, all of a sudden, he clocked their dirty antics and took complete control of the game.
He stopped buying their silly theatrics: Mosquera time wasting, Havertz falling at every slight touch, Saka wasting time for the corner, Arteta touchline tantrums, Madueke diving. I can go on and on
Arsenal have become so used to getting away with this cunning stuff from Premier League refs that they seemed genuinely shocked when it didn’t work.
I’m glad the referee refused to be intimidated and stood his ground. That’s how you referee a final.
You might con your way to a Premier League title, but you can’t do it in the UCL. Either you play like real men or go home
Come and visit London’s Home of Trophies. 🏆
Book your Stadium Tour at Stamford Bridge now. ⭐️⭐Come and visit London’s Home of Trophies. 🏆
Book your Stadium Tour at Stamford Bridge now. ⭐️⭐Come and visit London’s Home of Trophies. 🏆
Book your Stadium Tour at Stamford Bridge now. ⭐️⭐Come and visit London’s Home of Trophies. 🏆
Book your Stadium Tour at Stamford Bridge now. ⭐️⭐Come and visit London’s Home of Trophies. 🏆
Book your Stadium Tour at Stamford Bridge now. ⭐️⭐Come and visit London’s Home of Trophies. 🏆
Book your Stadium Tour at Stamford Bridge now. ⭐️⭐️
Noni Madueke pulled Mendes down but Arsenal fans wanted a penalty ... Delusional 😂
That ref should be promoted, he can't be more right 👍.
These were part of the reason why Arsenal won the PL because PGMOL & VAR would've awarded it. Funny enough when it's against Arsenal, they won't award it ... We saw when it happened to Westham, they got relegated.