Erling Haaland has taken to Instagram to apologise for Norway’s crushing 5-1 defeat to Austria in the Nations League on Sunday.
The Manchester City striker was standing in as captain due to the absence of Arsenal star Martin Odegaard. The Gunners playmaker was out with an ankle injury sustained during last month’s international break.
Despite setting a new record as Norway’s highest-ever goalscorer with a brace in their 3-0 win over Slovenia, Haaland and his team were brought back down to earth in Austria. Inter Milan’s Marko Arnautovic scored twice, with Philipp Lienhart, Stefan Posch and Michael Gregoritsch also getting on the scoresheet to heap misery on Norway.
After the game, Haaland avoided the Norwegian press, instead choosing to address the defeat on social media. “Sorry everyone, this was far too bad on my part,” he wrote on his Instagram story. “In November, we go for six points.”
The recent loss and his post-match silence drew criticism. Norwegian football commentator Kristoffer Lokberg lamented to VG: “It’s a shame. If there’s anyone we want to hear from after a violent slump, it’s the captain. How was it communicated out here? How do you think after the 3-1 goal?”
The debate over Haaland’s leadership style continues, with one side arguing that the captaincy of the Norwegian national team demands more visibility and communication. “Do you gather? What do you do? When you are captain, you have been assigned a role that requires a little extra. Then you should stand up. At the same time, I have great respect for the fact that he is in a special position when it comes to attention and requests,” they said, acknowledging the pressures on Haaland.
