Erling Haaland has leapt to the defence of close friend Jude Bellingham after England knocked Norway out of the World Cup in Miami on Saturday evening. Haaland, who had been the breakout star of the tournament, was upstaged by his former Borussia Dortmund teammate, who scored twice to secure a comeback victory for the Three Lions at the Miami Dolphins Stadium.
Haaland Praises Bellingham's Performance
Despite the disappointment of elimination, Haaland shared a warm embrace with Bellingham after the final whistle and later spoke highly of him to the media. He said: 'Jude is a good friend. We had two good years together in Dortmund, we keep in touch and he's such a good guy. We had so much fun together.'
'I'm not surprised that he scored two goals and performs the way he does. The only thing is that sometimes he gets a bit too much criticism because he doesn't score enough goals or whatever. He doesn't deserve that because he's one of the best in the world and he's a midfielder who still scores goals and he still managed to dribble past every single player on the field! So it's just praise for Jude. He's unbelievable.'
Bellingham Responds to Critics
Bellingham, who now boasts six goals in the tournament, also addressed the criticism he has faced. Speaking on ITV Sport after the match, he said: 'Character, perseverance, even when things weren't working. We found the way to win the game again. Whether it's in 90, 120, we'll give everything we've got. You saw that there. So proud of this team once again.'
When asked about the displeasure of England manager Tuchel with the team's display, Bellingham replied: 'Yeah, well, whatever. Whatever. It's difficult out there. It's a tough shift. All the players have put in a very tough shift. My thoughts and appreciation goes to the players who have put in a tough shift once again.'
Haaland's Final Praise
Haaland concluded: 'England and Real Madrid are lucky because everybody would want a Jude in their team.' The Norwegian striker's comments highlight the strong bond between the two players, who have remained close since their time together at Borussia Dortmund.
