Haaland throws support behind England after quarter-final loss

 'Yes, why not. I have some City friends at England,' he told reporters on Saturday. 'Of course, I want them to do well. I got an England shirt before I got a Norway shirt when I was little.'

Erling Haaland congratulating England’s match-winner Jude Bellingham, an old friend from their days together with Borussia Dortmund, after their World Cup quarter-final match. (AFP pic)

MIAMI:

Norway’s Erling Haaland says he is now supporting England after they knocked his team out of the World Cup.

Haaland, who plays for Manchester City, has a number of City teammates in the England squad. He said he is rooting for them, PA Media reported.

“Yes, why not. I have some City friends at England,” he told reporters on Saturday. “Of course, I want them to do well. I got an England shirt before I got a Norway shirt when I was little.” Haaland was born in Leeds while his dad Alf played for the Yorkshire club.

The Norway striker drew a blank for the first time in the tournament as Thomas Tuchel’s England side won their quarter-final 2-1 after extra time in stifling Miami heat and was taken off in extra time with fatigue. “He was finished,” and had a “dead leg”, Norwegian coach Stale Solbakken said.

Haaland’s former Borussia Dortmund teammate Jude Bellingham was the star of the show, scoring two goals to turn the tie around.

“Jude is a good friend. We had two great years at Dortmund,” he said. “We are good friends and he is such a nice guy,” Haaland said.

“I am not surprised that he is scoring today and performing the way he is. The only thing is that he gets a bit too much criticism sometimes for not scoring enough goals. I think that is undeserved.

“He still scores goals and dribbles everyone on the pitch. He is incredible and England are lucky because everyone wants a player like that.”

Haaland has been one of the standout performers at the World Cup, having scored seven goals in six matches. He is third on the Golden Boot ranking, behind Kylan Mbappe of France and Lionel Messi of Argentina (eight goals each) and ahead of Bellingham and Harry Kane of England, who have six goals each. - FMT