Erling Haaland waited until the 86th minute to remind everyone why he’s the most dangerous striker on the planet. His late goal gave Norway a 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast in the World Cup Round of 32 on June 30, sending his country into the Round of 16 and sending Ivory Coast home.
It also sent a ripple through a corner of the crypto market that most people didn’t know existed. Haaland-related digital assets, from Sorare NFTs to an unofficial meme token on Solana, have seen a noticeable uptick in speculative interest as the Norwegian forward continues to deliver on the biggest stage in football.
The match and what it means for Norway
Norway’s path through the knockout stage was anything but comfortable. After taking an early lead, they watched Amad Diallo equalize to make it 1-1, setting up what looked like a nervy finish or a potential penalty shootout.
Then Haaland did what Haaland does. Four minutes before full time, he found the back of the net to seal the win and book Norway’s ticket to face Brazil in the Round of 16.
