His penalty save against Brazil was pivotal in Norway’s qualification for the quarter-finals, the country’s deepest run in the history of the tournament. Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland became a household name with his exploits at the FIFA World Cup 2026. Now back with Bundesliga club RB Leipzig, a club he left in 2023 in search of first-team football, Nyland is keen to achieve even bigger goals in his career. Speaking to NDTV, the 35-year-old explained how his World Cup stint with Norway further fuelled his belief that even the most impossible dreams can become possible if one works in the right direction.
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However, he is now keen to use those experiences to do even better at Leipzig. “The World Cup was obviously a very special experience for me and for the whole country. Moments like the penalty save are things you dream about as a kid, but football is always a team sport and that achievement belonged to the entire squad. At the same time, I don’t think it changes who you are as a player. My approach is still the same: work hard every day, stay humble and keep improving. If anything, the tournament reinforced my belief that with the right mindset and teamwork, you can achieve things that might seem impossible from the outside,” Nyland asserted. “It was a very important period in my career. Moving to Sevilla gave me the opportunity to play regularly at a high level and take on more responsibility within a team. I learned a lot about consistency, dealing with pressure and adapting to different styles of football. La Liga can be very tactical and technically demanding, while the Bundesliga is often more intense and direct. Those experiences have made me a more complete goalkeeper and a more mature person. “Yes, we spoke briefly. Peter is someone I have a lot of respect for, both as a goalkeeper and as a person. Our conversation was very positive. He shared some thoughts about the club and wished me well, and I wished him all the best for his new challenge as well. We didn’t go into too many details, but it was a nice exchange between two professionals who understand each other’s situations. He has achieved a lot at Leipzig, and I think everyone at the club appreciates what he has done here,” the Norway goalkeeper concluded.
Because they show that you can perform under the highest pressure, of course, experiences like that give you confidence. Nyland’s arrival coincides with the end of a beautiful chapter for RB Leipzig’s veteran goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi , who brought an end to his 11-year association with the club before the start of the 2026-27 season.
When asked how life has changed for him since the conclusion of the World Cup, Nyland said he did things he had only dreamed of doing at the World Cup, including saving a penalty from Brazil’s Bruno Guimaraes . I’m returning to Germany with more confidence, more experience and a better understanding of what it takes to perform week after week,” he said.
