"Rest in peace, King Harald. Thank you for everything you have meant to Norway. It was an honor to meet you." Erling Haaland posted those words to social media after the death of Norway's King Harald V at the age of 89 — just weeks after the two had met in person at the Royal Palace in Oslo.
The timing made it hit differently. Haaland had been received at the palace in mid-July alongside the rest of the Norwegian national team following their World Cup run. The king, dealing with serious mobility problems, greeted the players while seated on a stool. There was no visible sign then of how close the end was.
A nation — and a football community — in mourning
Norway captain Martin Ødegaard also shared a tribute: "Thank you for everything you meant to Norway. A wonderful king and a wonderful man whom we all felt a close connection to. Rest in peace, dear King Harald."
The Norwegian football federation has postponed matches as a mark of respect. The flag above the Royal Palace is flying at half-staff.
The relationship between the royal family and the national team had been one of the defining stories of the World Cup. Crown Prince Haakon joined the celebrations after Norway's run, beating a drum and taking part in the Viking rowing tradition. When Norway knocked out Brazil in the round of 16, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus went down to the locker room — where they caught Haaland shirtless and enthusiastically embraced him anyway. The royal family posted the video themselves. "Miracle in New Jersey!" they wrote.
It was that rare moment where football and national identity collapsed into something genuinely moving. King Harald's final reception for the squad was a piece of that same story. He didn't get to see how it ended, but he was there for it.
