FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, there’s perhaps no player whose presence feels more inevitable than Norway‘s Erling Haaland. From the 72 group matches, his name on the scoresheet seemed almost guaranteed.
Haaland made headlines by scoring a hat trick during his UEFA Champions League debut in 2019, and just a year later, he netted a hat trick within 23 minutes of coming off the bench in his Bundesliga debut for Borussia Dortmund. In 2022, he continued his impressive streak with two goals in his Premier League debut for Manchester City.
This record presented a daunting challenge for Iraq, who faced Norway in their group-stage opener at Boston Stadium (Gillette Stadium) on Tuesday, marking what could be seen as Haaland’s most significant debut to date.
This match was Haaland’s first experience of World Cup soccer. Before 2026, Norway hadn’t qualified since 1998, leaving him to watch the tournament from home while dreaming of participating.
“You have those moments from the World Cup that stay with you,” Haaland shared with ESPN prior to the tournament. “I hope we can create our own amazing moments this time.”
During the match against Iraq, in which he scored two goals in the first half, that dream began to materialize.
The only surprise to viewers was that Haaland took a whole 29 minutes to score. Initially, he was relatively quiet, with just three touches and one shot by the time the first hydration break arrived.
However, he quickly changed that narrative. Just seconds after play resumed, Haaland made a precise run into the box, finishing off a low cross from teammate David Møller Wolfe to record his first goal.
After Iraq’s Aymen Hussein equalized with a phenomenal header, Haaland responded by outpacing Iraq goalkeeper Jalal Hassan and tapping in his second goal into an empty net.
With Haaland on the field, goal counts seem to accumulate almost effortlessly. He is already breaking records: in just one half, he equaled Norway’s all-time World Cup goal record (two goals, held by Kjetil Rekdal) and gave his team a lead they would maintain. The match concluded with a scoreline of 4-1, placing Norway above France in Group I based on goal difference.
When asked by reporters post-match whether he considered himself the best goal scorer in the world, Haaland replied:
“I would say I’m among the best. Statistically, I can’t claim that since I haven’t scored the most goals this season. Harry Kane and [Kylian] Mbappé have more goals than I do, and that’s a fact.”
However, looking only at his goal tally overlooks Haaland’s true objective in this tournament. As ESPN’s Rob Dawson learned from Haaland before the World Cup, he’s not focused on personal accolades or individual achievements.
“I haven’t given much thought to our performance, either personally or as a team, since qualifying was my primary goal,” Haaland expressed to ESPN. “Honestly, everything that follows feels like a bonus.”
“Now, young Norwegian kids can have the chance to witness what it’s like to have their team present, and they will surely cherish those memories.”
Norway is viewed as a strong underdog with potential for a deep run in this World Cup. They won all eight of their qualifying matches, and Haaland is not their only outstanding player; Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard serves as their main creative force, while second striker Alexander Sørloth leads Atlético Madrid, and winger Antonio Nusa is among the world’s most promising young talents.
If they succeed, Haaland will undoubtedly be at the forefront.