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Erling Haaland Finally Arrives at the World Cup
He’s broken records at every club he’s played for. He’s terrorised defenders in the Premier League, the Bundesliga, the Champions League. But until June 16, 2026, there was one stage Erling Haaland had never played on — the World Cup.
Norway hadn’t qualified since 1998. Haaland spent every World Cup of his career watching from home. That changed in Boston — and he made sure the wait was worth it.
A Debut Worth the Wait
Erling Haaland took just 29 minutes to score his first ever World Cup goal on his tournament debut against Iraq. By the end, he had scored twice in a convincing 4-1 victory. FIFA
Norway controlled the ball early, but failed to get a shot on goal in the game’s opening 15 minutes. Then in the 29th minute, David Møller Wolfe delivered the ball from the left side of the field to find Haaland waiting at the right corner.
He equaled Norway’s all-time World Cup goal record (Kjetil Rekdal, two goals) in a single half, giving his country a lead from which it wouldn’t look back.
From there, it was a game of ball control for Norway before a Leo Østigard header on a corner kick iced the game in the 76th minute. The Norwegians added to the tally with a late Iraq own goal to bump the margin to 4-1. Sky Sports
Was Anyone Surprised?
Not really. Haaland scored a hat trick in his UEFA Champions League debut in 2019. He scored a 23-minute hat trick from the bench for Borussia Dortmund in his Bundesliga debut in 2020. He netted twice for Manchester City in his Premier League debut in 2022. The Analyst
The pattern is almost unbelievable at this point. New stage, new debut — Haaland scores. The World Cup was simply the latest box to tick.
“You could see that he lived up to the occasion,” Norway coach Stale Solbakken said. “The occasion wasn’t too big for him.” Wikipedia
In His Own Words
Despite the brace, Haaland stayed grounded when asked if he’s the best goalscorer in the world right now.
“I would say I’m up there,” Haaland said. “I don’t think I scored the most goals this season, so statistically no. Harry Kane and Mbappé scored more goals than me and that’s the reality.”
But this was clearly a deeply personal moment for him. Speaking to ESPN ahead of the tournament, Haaland had said how something felt “missing” for most of his career. “It felt missing in 2022 in Qatar and also in the Euros in 2024. So now it finally happened, and it was about time,” he said.
Norway — More Than Just Haaland
It would be a mistake to think Norway is a one-man team. Norway are strong contenders to make a deep, underdog run at this World Cup. They won all eight of their World Cup qualifiers, and Haaland is by no means their only world-class talent — Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard is their main creative presence, their second striker Alexander Sørloth leads the line for Atlético Madrid this season, and winger Antonio Nusa is one of world soccer’s most exciting young talents.
The result puts Norway ahead of France in Group I on goal difference — a group that includes the very team Mbappé just inspired to victory over Senegal. Group I is shaping up to be one of the most competitive at the tournament.
Our Take — Is Norway a Real Threat?
Honest opinion: yes, and it’s not just hype.
A team that’s already scoring at this level in their opener, with a forward line featuring Haaland, Sørloth, and the creativity of Ødegaard, has the tools to do real damage in the knockout rounds. Norway aren’t just happy to be here after 28 years away — they look built to compete.
If Norway do make a deep run, Haaland will be at the heart of it. Our take — keep Norway on your radar for every round they’re involved in. This is not a team to write off as a one-game wonder. NBC Sports
What’s Next for Norway
Norway play Senegal in New Jersey on June 22 before returning to Foxborough to take on France on June 26.
Both matches are massive for Group I positioning. A win over Senegal puts Norway in pole position; the France match could decide who tops the group outright.
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