The Norway center forward: “I’ve been working for years to reach the World Cup, we’ve never been there since I was born.” And on his Inter colleague: “If he plays with the Azzurri he will certainly have quality”
White baseball cap on backwards, very long blond hair sliding over Norway’s tracksuit, laughter generously granted to questions from Italian journalists. Here is Erling Haaland, the best center forward in the world, ready to experience San Siro as an opponent for the first time. “I’ve been there twice as a spectator – he says amused – once for a Milan match and once for the Coldplay concert in 2017. I liked the second one more”. He will like going to the World Cup even more: “We have one last step left before celebrating, before realizing a dream. Let’s go calmly, step by step.” Come on, Italy can’t win 9-0: “I have enough experience to say that in football nothing is taken for granted. I certainly feel the responsibility in this moment, I know that a lot of the team’s fortunes rest on my shoulders. Since I’ve been alive, Norway has never participated in the World Cup and now we have the chance to reach it: the emotion is strong, even for my father who was on the field in the 1994 edition in the United States. I’ve been working for this goal for six years and I’m convinced that it’s not over here: I want to stay for a long time to come be a protagonist with my national team and make my country proud.”
never say never
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He is a pillar of Manchester City, he is an unreachable champion. But since he often spends his holidays in Italy, it is inevitable to ask him if he is thinking of a future in Serie A: “I like Italy, you never know what can happen in the future even if at the moment I’m happy where I am.” He collected more goals (53) than appearances (47) for Norway, scoring 14 goals in qualifying. He smiles at the idea of being the Best: “I imagine you’d like me to talk about myself in a certain way… I don’t fall for it, not even this time. I only focus on my job, which consists of scoring as many goals as possible. I leave the right to judge me to others.” In Milan he will try to beat his clubmate Donnarumma: “He is one of the best goalkeepers in the world and an excellent boy. But I don’t feel any particular sensations in facing him. I only felt emotion when I played against Borussia Dortmund, which was my former team”.
pious who?
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During the long and exhaustive press conference, there was also an embarrassing moment. An Italian reporter asked Haaland for his opinion on Pio Esposito, the emerging talent of Inter and the Azzurri. Erling looked around a bit and then replied candidly: “I’m sorry but I’m honest, I don’t know much about him. Maybe these words will backfire on me because he will score three goals for us but I don’t know him. But for sure if he plays for Italy he will have quality.”
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