Read 3 minutes5 Jul 2026 03:58 PM IST
Norway didn’t carry the burden of Brazil’s name, but the Europeans denied Italy an automatic place at the World Cup and a balanced squad with some players around whom teams must plan.
Erling Haaland scored at an astonishing pace for the Norwegians and has been part of the World Cup Golden Boot race for years. Now he faces a Brazil team that has visited the event with uncharacteristic pragmatism – a direct result of Carlo Ancelotti taking over the reins.
Ahead of the big clash between the two teams at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, Ancelotti was asked what Brazil’s prevention plan would be for Haaland.
“I don’t need to explain to my defenders how Haaland plays. They know him better than me because they have played against him many times,” Ancelotti said.
This was a reference to the many clashes between Haaland and Brazilian central defender Gabriel Magalhas in the Premier League.
While playing for Arsenal, the duel between Gabriel and Manchester City’s Haaland has often decided the Premier League title. The two share a sense of bad blood as well as frequent outbursts of aggression during matches – moments that often turn into a highlight reel and are gleefully devoured by fans on both sides.
Now internationally, the tables have turned but only ever so slightly. Haaland, part of a club with multiple levels of individual talent at every position, plays for the Norwegians, who don’t have the same big names as Brazil. Gabriel, who at Arsenal is usually part of the chasing pack trying to destroy Manchester City, finds himself in a position where Brazil are clearly favored over Norway.
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“We are focused on preparing well for the match, of course with the characteristics of Haaland, which we have to take into account because he is a very, very dangerous forward,” Ancelotti said.
Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes lays out his Haaland plan. Stop the ball from moving forward before it does any damage.
“We have to try not to get the ball to him,” Guimaraes said. “We will attack, but we won’t give him space as he always has to stick someone, because we know that one ball can decide the match.”