Colin Cowherd's comparison of Erling Haaland to an American superstar has helped turn Norway's World Cup run into a US crossover story. Haaland has scored four goals in his first two games at the 48-team World Cup, and he has already moved into a small group of players to score more than once in both opening matches. He is also Norway's all-time leading scorer at the tournament, passing Kjetil Rekdal.
Cowherd's comparison and the US angle
The Cowherd line was blunt. Speaking to talksport.com, he said: "Erling Haaland is what Americans that don't like soccer think all our big athletes would play like, if they chose the sport".
That is the kind of quote that travels because it gives American sports fans an easier frame for a player who is already hard to ignore. Haaland's tournament output does the rest. Four goals in two World Cup appearances is the sort of start that gets talked about outside the usual football circles, especially when it comes wrapped in an NFL-style comparison.
The off-pitch chatter has helped too. Reports around Haaland's designer bag collection have added to the curiosity, which is why this has become more than a straight goals story. He is being sold to a new audience as a dominant athlete first and a footballer second.
The food story has been simplified online
Some of the viral noise around Norway has gone well beyond football. Claims that the team shipped huge amounts of food because it distrusts American cuisine do not hold up. The actual imported food was approximately 580 kilograms, including 300 kilograms of Norwegian salmon and trout, 100 kilograms of halibut, 80 kilograms of Norwegian brown cheese and 100 kilograms of Jarlsberg cheese.
Aron Espeland put the point plainly: "We want what we think is good and work with the best Norwegian ingredients available. Being able to serve it when it really matters is something we take pride in."
He also said: "When athletes are competing at the highest level, consistency is important. The players are used to certain products and flavours, and familiar foods can contribute both to nutrition and overall well-being during a demanding competition."
The oranges story has been muddied in the same way. Norway did not bring oranges from home. Players are served freshly squeezed orange juice daily from locally sourced American oranges.
The more useful reading is simple enough. Norway's food plan is about performance nutrition and familiarity, not a swipe at the host country. Haaland's goals have pushed him into the American conversation, but the practical details behind the team setup are far more ordinary than the online version suggests.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →