The diplomatic corps in Washington traded soccer banter this week as the British and Norwegian embassies posted a playful video ahead of Saturday's World Cup quarterfinal between England and Norway. The clip, shared on social media Friday, centers on the friendly rivalry between Norwegian striker Erling Haaland and English captain Harry Kane.
Haaland, who plays for Manchester City in the Premier League when not representing Norway, was the subject of a mock haunting inside the British Embassy. The video shows staff hiding photos of Haaland in coffee mugs and a phone booth, with one person wearing a Haaland mask to spook colleagues. The prank then shifts to the Norwegian Embassy, where a Kane mask-wearing intruder is chased off by a cardboard cutout of Haaland.
British Ambassador Christian Turner and Norwegian Ambassador Anniken Huitfeldt met for tea Thursday ahead of the match, adding a diplomatic touch to the buildup. The game pits two of the tournament's top scorers against each other: Haaland has netted seven goals in four appearances, while Kane has six. Both players are also national team captains and record goal-scorers.
The banter extended beyond embassy walls. At the NATO summit in Turkey, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney joked with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre about borrowing Haaland for Canada's future World Cup campaign. “Interoperability also means sharing crews. And in the next World Cup, if you could share Erling Haaland with us, that would be greatly, greatly appreciated,” Carney said, drawing laughs.
Kane, 32, is coming off one of his best seasons, leading Bayern Munich to a German Bundesliga title. Haaland, 25, has been prolific for both Manchester City and Norway, with a scoring record that has made him one of the most feared forwards in the game. The match in Miami will be a high-stakes showcase for both players, with a spot in the semifinals on the line.
This lighthearted diplomatic exchange contrasts with the tense atmosphere around other World Cup stories, such as the controversy over a red card reversal involving Folarin Balogun that drew criticism from the Norwegian coach. Meanwhile, security at World Cup venues remains tight after the FBI seized over 600 drones at tournament sites.
For fans of both nations, the Haaland-Kane duel adds an extra layer of intrigue to what promises to be a fiercely contested quarterfinal. The embassies' social media post captured the spirit of the rivalry—competitive but good-natured—as the two teams prepare to face off on the pitch.
