Haaland Primed for ‘Big Impact’ at World Cup, Says Norway Coach

Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Norway Training - New England Revolution Training Center, Foxborough, Massachusetts, US - June 15, 2026 Norway's Erling Haaland during training. (Reuters)

08:54-16 June 2026 AD ـ 01 Muharram 1448 AH

Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Norway Training - New England Revolution Training Center, Foxborough, Massachusetts, US - June 15, 2026 Norway's Erling Haaland during training. (Reuters)

Norway coach Stale Solbakken says star striker Erling Haaland is poised to make a "very big impact" as his country returns to the World Cup for the first time in 28 years.

Haaland scored 16 times as Norway powered through qualifying with a perfect record, twice beating Italy, to secure a first World Cup appearance since 1998.

They will kick off their tournament campaign against Iraq in Boston on Tuesday in a challenging Group I that includes two-time champions France and Senegal.

However, they can call on one of the game's most fearsome attackers in Haaland, who shot to prominence with nine goals in an Under-20 World Cup match in 2019 and now steps onto the sport's biggest stage.

"Hopefully he'll have a very big impact," said the 58-year-old Solbakken, who was in the squad as a midfielder the last time Norway went to the World Cup.

Haaland is coming off a third Premier League Golden Boot in four seasons at Manchester City and boasts a remarkable record of 55 goals in 50 caps for Norway.

"He's our goalscorer. I think he's the world's best goalscorer. He's physically fit, he was given a little bit of a break towards the end of the season," Solbakken told reporters on Monday.

"I think gradually he has played better and better in training here. I think he's where he wants to be and hopefully the team can also give him the service he needs to score goals.

"If you give Erling chances, he has a tendency to score, so hopefully that continues."

Solbakken made no attempt to downplay the significance of their opening game against outsiders Iraq, who return to the World Cup for the first time in 40 years.

"We are in a very competitive group, maybe the hardest of all. If you can start with three points then maybe you are on your way. You can't hide that it's a very important game."

Solbakken, who also appeared at Euro 2000 in Norway's last major tournament outing, said it be would be a proud moment on Tuesday.

"For every citizen, to lead out his country in a game like this, especially after 28 years of hurt, that is perhaps the top thing, the number one thing on the list," he said.

Mourinho Praises ‘Incredible’ Guler Amid Battle for Minutes

Real Madrid's Turkish midfielder #15 Arda Guler reacts during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and Rayo Vallecano de Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on September 12, 2026. (AFP)

13:10-14 September 2026 AD ـ 02 Rabi’ Al-Thani 1448 AH

Mourinho Praises ‘Incredible’ Guler Amid Battle for Minutes

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho hailed playmaker Arda Guler on Monday ahead of the team's visit to face Elche in La Liga.

The Turkish midfielder came on as a substitute in Madrid's 4-1 win over Rayo Vallecano on Saturday and helped steady the team when they were wobbling under pressure.

Guler is not assured of a starting place at Madrid, with Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham all part of Mourinho's regular side.

The 21-year-old is competing with record signing Yan Diomande and Brahim Diaz among others for minutes, ahead of the central midfield duo.

"There are people more qualified than me to talk about his development, people who have been here since he arrived, about how he's transformed physically," Mourinho told reporters.

"But for me, his quality of play is incredible -- his vision, his decision-making, his playmaking, the stability he brings to the team, his creativity...

"For me, he's a player with fantastic potential who already has some very impressive stats."

Guler has shown he has a strong link with Mbappe on the pitch, regularly combining well with the French forward, including for Madrid's fourth goal against Rayo.

Mourinho said he would not go completely overboard with praise for Guler, who arrived from Fenerbahce in 2023.

"Maybe I don't want to go so far as to say 'top, top, top' three times, but I can definitely say 'top, top'," joked the Portuguese coach.

One player still looking for his best form at Madrid is Vinicius.

The Brazilian winger has scored one goal this season and Mourinho reiterated his view that Vinicius is still not at his best.

"The best version of him is scoring goals. Obviously, assisting is important, working for the team is very important. Commitment, solidarity, and teamwork are very important," said Mourinho.

"But there's another Vinicius, the Vinicius who arrived in Lisbon last season (in the Champions League) and in close matches, in the knockout rounds, gets one chance, scores a goal and that's it.

"He's lacking that top-level performance lately, but I am happy with him."

Second-placed Madrid trail La Liga leaders Barcelona, who boast a 100 percent record, by three points.

Sports

Norris Says Madring and F1’s Virtual Safety Car Rule Both Need to Change

Formula One F1 - Spanish Grand Prix - Madring, Madrid, Spain - September 13, 2026 McLaren's Lando Norris celebrates on the podium after finishing third in the Spanish Grand Prix. (Reuters)

10:58-14 September 2026 AD ـ 02 Rabi’ Al-Thani 1448 AH

Norris Says Madring and F1’s Virtual Safety Car Rule Both Need to Change

Formula One F1 - Spanish Grand Prix - Madring, Madrid, Spain - September 13, 2026 McLaren's Lando Norris celebrates on the podium after finishing third in the Spanish Grand Prix. (Reuters)

Formula One's newest circuit needs to ‌change, and so does the virtual safety car (VSC) rule, world champion Lando Norris said after losing a Spanish Grand Prix win that was his for the taking.

Fears of carnage -- crashes and red flags -- failed to materialize at the top level of racing, but the first F1 race at the capital's Madring circuit turned into a procession that even some drivers said had risked sending them to sleep.

"They should get rid of (turns) 18, 19. Useless," said Norris, who finished third.

"Just have more of a straight into a hairpin.

"I don’t know how someone looks at this design and goes, 'Mint.'

"I’m excited to come back here next year if they can make these changes because I think it’s a track that is good fun to drive and it can ‌be a great ‌racetrack. To me, it’s not a great racetrack."

VSC IN THE SPOTLIGHT

The ‌lack ⁠of overtaking opportunities ⁠also meant that an early VSC period changed the race outcome.

The timing of it, after Lance Stroll's stopped Aston Martin had to be moved, allowed all those behind Norris to pit and gain time but effectively penalized him for being too far ahead.

By the time he could pit, there was no VSC anymore and he was unable to regain the lead due to the nature of the track.

Norris said Sunday was probably the first time a win had ⁠been lost because of the VSC, which keeps all cars at ‌a particular speed for a short duration whereas a ‌physical safety car takes several laps.

A pitstop under VSC conditions saves a driver some 11 seconds ‌of race time compared to a regular stop.

"There’s literally nothing I could do as a ‌driver today to do a better job. Pole, led the race, and to lose it for nothing in my control is, I don’t think, how a race should be won," he told reporters.

"I think there are things (that can be done), because we have spoken about it in the past several ‌times, about how it can be at least covered for one lap or everyone has the opportunity to do the pit stops, ⁠or you just ⁠block the pit entry and no one can box apart from if you have a puncture or something," he added.

"I think there’s a few things you could do to make it more simple and more fair for everyone, but that’s a bigger discussion."

Red Bull's four-time world champion Max Verstappen, who finished second behind Mercedes' championship leader Kimi Antonelli, expected the matter to be discussed at the next briefing.

McLaren boss Andrea Stella said any change would be a lengthy process "unless there's a big push from the institutions, FIA or F1, to say 'we need to make this different'".

Norris recognized potential complications, such as if drivers needed to change from slicks to wet tires, but said it needed addressing.

"I think everyone wants the same thing and that’s just fairness for everyone," he said. "I have to take it on the chin, but I just hope it doesn’t happen to anyone again because it’s just not how you should lose a race."

Sports

Tennis Players Move Push for Pay and Reforms into New Grand Slam Council

A general view of Ben Shelton of the United States in action against Alexander Zverev of Germany in their Men's Singles Final match on Day Fifteen of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 13, 2026 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)

07:58-14 September 2026 AD ـ 02 Rabi’ Al-Thani 1448 AH

Tennis Players Move Push for Pay and Reforms into New Grand Slam Council

Top tennis players ‌said on Monday they would cease to publicly campaign for greater influence and financial benefits from the four Grand Slams, choosing instead to pursue their objectives through a new Player Advisory Council.

Players launched their campaign in March 2025 for a greater voice in Grand Slam decision-making, more player welfare funding and a larger share of tournament revenues, including a proposal for them to receive 22% of tournament revenues as prize money.

The campaign gained momentum this year as players cut short pre-tournament media duties at the French Open and Wimbledon in protest, while ‌the Grand Slams ‌have all increased prize money amid growing pressure ‌from ⁠the group.

The players ⁠said the agreement on a council and the progress toward their key objectives marked a "significant step" forward.

"The players will now work directly with the Grand Slams to establish the council, through which players themselves will be directly consulted and able to negotiate on an ongoing basis," the group said in a statement.

The group acknowledged that the Grand Slams ⁠had yet to meet players' target of receiving 22% ‌of tournament revenues by 2030, but ‌said prize money had risen significantly since the campaign began last year.

Prize pots ‌have risen across the majors, with this year's purses reaching $79.92 million ‌at the Australian Open, $71.56 million at the French Open, $86.79 million at Wimbledon and a record $108 million at the US Open.

The group estimated that more than $30 million of recent prize-money increases across the majors exceeded historical growth trends ‌and welcomed a French Open proposal to link payouts to tournament profits.

Players said they would let the ⁠formally established council ⁠pursue their outstanding objectives through engagement with the four Grand Slams.

They also welcomed the US Open becoming the first Grand Slam to commit $2 million toward player welfare, saying they hoped the contribution would increase over time and prompt similar proposals from the other three majors.

"This stands as a testament to the gains made possible by concerted, unified player action in an individual sport, and by constructive dialogue with the Grand Slams and tournament organizers," the statement added.

"The players look to the Council to build on this progress and continue pursuing the aims not yet fully achieved.

"Players reserve the right to restart the campaign should the council fail to deliver on these aims."

Haaland Primed for ‘Big Impact’ at World Cup, Says Norway Coach

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