Erling Haaland downplays Norway‑France World Cup clash, predicts French victory

Norwegian striker Erling Haaland said he was largely indifferent to the upcoming Group I match against France at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, noting that Norway had already secured qualification after a 3‑2 win over Senegal. Haaland added that France were likely to win both the match and the tournament.

The comments came after Haaland scored twice to help Norway reach the knockout stage for the first time since 1998. He matched Kylan Mbappé’s goal tally at the tournament and highlighted his focus on scoring rather than the outcome of the specific game.