Revealed: Erling Haaland Pep Talk to Moldova Goalkeeper After World Cup Qualifying Rout

Football has an extraordinary way of delivering both ecstasy and despair within the same 90 minutes. Few matches embody that contrast more vividly than Norway’s record-breaking demolition of Moldova in World Cup qualifying — a night where Erling Haaland scored five goals, Norway rattled in eleven, and Moldova’s goalkeeper, Dorian Avram, endured an evening he will likely never forget.

But amid the chaos and humiliation on the scoreboard, a remarkable story of sportsmanship emerged. Haaland, the ruthless Manchester City striker, showed a softer side at the final whistle. Rather than revel in the scoreline or his own incredible statistics, he took time to seek out Avram and offer words of encouragement — a pep talk that has since gone viral and reminded the footballing world of the human side of sport.

Erling Haaland’s Five-Goal Masterclass

On paper, Norway’s 11-0 thrashing of Moldova will be remembered for Haaland’s staggering quintet of strikes. The 24-year-old was at his merciless best, converting chances with the precision and power that have made him one of the deadliest forwards in the world.

Each goal seemed to come with its own signature stamp: one from a sweeping team move, another a thunderous finish from close range, and a third displaying his predatory instincts inside the box. By the time he notched his fifth, Haaland had rewritten his personal record books.

The Manchester City forward now has 48 goals in 45 appearances for Norway — numbers more commonly associated with legends of the game than players still in their mid-twenties. To put it into context, no European player had scored five or more goals in a World Cup qualifier since Austria’s Hans Krankl netted six back in 1977.

Yet, for all of Haaland’s brilliance, the story of the night was not just about goals, but about what happened after the final whistle.

Moldova Goalkeeper’s Nightmare Evening

Haaland

While Norway celebrated, Moldova were left licking their wounds. For Avram, the 26-year-old goalkeeper tasked with standing between Haaland and history, it was the worst night of his professional career. Eleven goals flew past him, each one seemingly harder to stomach than the last.

Goalkeepers live by a strange paradox: they can play brilliantly for 89 minutes but be remembered for a single mistake. For Avram, the reverse was true. Even as he made saves, the relentless pressure and clinical finishing of Norway made it an impossible task. By the final whistle, the weight of humiliation was visible on his face.

In football, such nights can break players. Confidence shatters quickly, especially for those without the protective bubble of elite clubs. Avram might easily have walked off the pitch consumed by doubt. Instead, something unexpected happened.

Haaland’s Classy Pep Talk

After the final whistle, Haaland sought out the Moldovan keeper. Cameras caught the moment the City striker placed a consoling arm around Avram and spoke with him on the pitch.

According to Avram, Haaland’s words were both simple and profound. “He told me to keep going, that nights like this happen, even to the best. He said I should not let it define me, because football always gives another chance.”

For a player who had just scored five times against him, the gesture carried immense weight. Haaland did not have to do it — most players would have been too caught up in their own celebrations — but he chose to recognise the human being behind the gloves.

It was, in many ways, a perfect encapsulation of what sport can be: ruthless competition during the match, but respect and solidarity once the whistle blows.

Odegaard, Aasgaard and Myhre Add to the Tally

Erling Haaland of Manchester City celebrates scoring his team’s third goal

Haaland may have stolen the headlines, but he was not alone in tearing Moldova apart. Thelo Aasgaard was magnificent, netting four goals of his own in a breakout performance that underlined Norway’s growing depth of attacking talent.

Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard pulled the strings in midfield, dictating tempo and scoring a goal himself, while Felix Horn Myhre also got on the scoresheet. For Norway, it was not just about Haaland — it was a statement of intent from a team desperate to return to the world stage at the 2026 World Cup.

A Record-Breaking Night

The statistics from the match are staggering. Eleven goals in a World Cup qualifier is almost unheard of in modern football, where tactical organisation usually prevents such lopsided scorelines. Norway’s total was their biggest ever in an official competition, and it will stand as one of the most memorable results in European qualifying history.

For Haaland personally, the night felt like another step in his march toward football immortality. His international strike rate now rivals some of the greatest scorers the game has ever seen, and the frightening part is that he is only just entering his prime years.

Club Focus: Haaland Returns to Manchester City

For all the glory of international football, Haaland’s mind now turns back to domestic duty. Norway’s talisman returns to Manchester with the Manchester derby on the horizon.

City face United on Sunday in one of the Premier League’s most iconic fixtures, and Haaland’s performance against Moldova could hardly be better preparation. Confidence is soaring, his finishing is razor-sharp, and he looks determined to carry his international form into club football.

For Pep Guardiola, it is the kind of boost he will welcome as City look to assert their dominance in the title race. For United, it is the stuff of nightmares.

Beyond the Scoreline: Sportsmanship That Matters

And yet, when the dust settles on Norway’s demolition of Moldova, the scoreline may not be what people remember most. Instead, it will be Haaland’s post-match gesture — that moment of compassion toward an opponent who had just endured the hardest night of his career.

Football is often accused of being ruthless, of reducing players to statistics and headlines. But this was a reminder that, at its heart, it is a human game. Eleven goals may fade into the record books, but one kind word from an opponent can last a lifetime.

As Avram himself admitted: “It hurt to concede so many. But when a player like Haaland tells you to keep going, you listen. That will stay with me.”