Erling Haaland neutralized by England and subbed off late as Norway's World Cup run ends

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Erling Haaland's day ended earlier than many expected. About 15 minutes later, Norway's run in the World Cup ended as well.

The Vikings' biggest star didn't shine Saturday.

Haaland was a nonfactor for much of his team's quarterfinal against England and — at least in part because of the strain of dealing with hot and humid conditions in South Florida — was taken out with Norway's hopes hanging in the balance going into the final 15 minutes of extra time.

The final score: England 2, Norway 1. Haaland was kept off the scoresheet for the first time in this World Cup; he had scored seven times in his four appearances going into Saturday, but barely had a chance to add to that total Saturday.

“This has been an insane journey,” Haaland said.

Haaland acknowledged afterward that his energy was gone as the game, which was played with a heat index topping 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius), wore along.

“It was not a tough decision to take him out,” Norway coach Ståle Solbakken said. “He was finished. Maybe I should have taken him out 10 minutes before. ... He also got a dead leg in the second half, so that combined with the fatigue. He did everything he could.”

The Manchester City striker was, without question, one of the stars of the tournament — but England silenced him. And his former Borussia Dortmund teammate, Jude Bellingham, wound up stealing the show by scoring both goals.

Haaland and Bellingham shared an embrace when the game ended, before the Norwegian striker made the long, slow walk from the field to the locker room for the final time in this World Cup.

He was already a star within the sport coming into the tournament — but his larger-than-most-in-soccer frame and larger-than-life personality, combined with his long blond hair and unique mannerisms, turned Haaland into a soccer folk hero.

“I think this has changed my life, to be honest,” Haaland said.

England's plan — forged in part by his Manchester City teammates and others who have played with and against him at the club level — was clear: Do not let Haaland get the ball. It was largely successful.

Haaland had two shot attempts in the game, one on goal, and was virtually silenced after the first half. There was a 2-on-1 chance late in the first half where a pass didn't go his way; if it had, that may have been his best scoring opportunity.

There wasn't much for him to get excited about the rest of the way. He stayed on the field for a few minutes after the final whistle, saluting Norway's fans after the team's best World Cup run ever. When the 2030 tournament rolls around, it won't be a surprise if Norway makes another deep run — and that's clearly going to be the goal.

“I think we put Norway on the map,” he said.

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

Norway's Erling Haaland, right, controls the ball next to England's Marc Guehi during the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Norway and England in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Norway's Kristoffer Ajer, from foreground, Erling Haaland and Antonio Nusa react after England's Jude Bellingham scored his side's second goal during the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Norway and England in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Norway's Erling Haaland and England's Harry Kane embrace at the end of the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Norway and England in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Norway's Erling Haaland (9) sits on the bench during the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Norway and England in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Norway's Erling Haaland (9) sits on the bench during the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Norway and England in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Lionel Messi and reigning World Cup champion Argentina playing for a semifinal spot in Ted Lasso's hometown?

You'd better BELIEVE he's paying attention.

The fictional coach of soccer club AFC Richmond — or rather, Jason Sudeikis, who plays the title character on the Apple TV series — was hosting a watch party at CPKC Stadium near downtown Kansas City on Saturday night, when La Albiceleste were playing upstart Switzerland at Arrowhead Stadium in their quest for back-to-back championships.

The fourth season of the comedy-drama, which has been on hiatus since May 31, 2023, is due to premiere on Aug. 5.

“As much as we've loved football before we got started, I've grown to love it more as we got more immersed in the soccer culture,” said Sudeikis, who grew up in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, Kansas, and still has a deep affinity for the city.

In fact, many of the scenes in the new season of “Ted Lasso” were shot around Kansas City.

That includes riverfront CPKC Stadium, the home of the National Women's Soccer League club Kansas City Current. It's the first of its size built specifically for a women's professional club, and a fitting locale for several thousand people to attend a watch party, given that the new season of “Ted Lasso” will focus on the newly formed AFC Richmond women's team.

It was a concept that the character Keeley Jones — played by the award-winning Juno Temple — subtly pitched at the end of the third season, when it was still unclear whether “Ted Lasso” would return for another run.

“It feels like a perfect moment to be talking about women's football, and representing it — not that I play, obviously,” said Temple, who sported a teal Kansas City Current jersey Saturday. “So that's first and foremost. I hope that's something people really treasure. And I also hope people enjoy the journey each of the characters are going on.”

As for the World Cup, the cast hopes fans of the show have become fans of the game over the years. That has certainly been the case in the Sudeikis household; he played a little soccer as a kid before realizing basketball was more his game.

“I've certainly heard from some people that didn't care about soccer at all until they started to watch ‘Ted Lasso,’” said Brendan Hunt, who plays Coach Beard and is one of the show's writers, and who reflected on the last time the U.S. hosted the World Cup in 1994.

“As opposed to 1994 when we had the World Cup and people knew even less about soccer, including me, people were ready for it,” Hunt said. “Yes, the world has come with this great energy, but we were more ready to be aware of their presence, and reciprocate energy. And we're not as far behind as far as the sport's popularity as it's made out to be, and this World Cup is showing it.”

The fact that Argentina and Switzerland were playing a World Cup quarterfinal on Saturday night? In Kansas City?

“Luck of the draw,” Hunt said with a wry, bearded smile. “The actual show about to come out after the World Cup? I think someone manipulated that. Might have been a corporate choice.”

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

FILE - Jason Sudeikis arrives at the season three premiere of "Ted Lasso" on March 7, 2023, at Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)