- Norway have begun their World Cup campaign
- The nation are off to a very positive start
- Erling Haaland stole the show in the first half
Erling Haaland was brilliant in Norway’s opening match of the FIFA World Cup, and his display could be a sign of things to come.
Some of Man City’s stars have not made the best start to the World Cup. Rodri’s Spain were held by Cape Verde, while the points were shared between Belgium and Egypt.
However, Erling Haaland’s national team got going quickly, having defeated Iraq in their first match of the competition.
Norway’s early lead was cancelled out in the 39th minute, but they went on to score three times more in order to win 4-1.
Erling Haaland was at the double
It was Man City’s Haaland who ensured Norway took the lead after 29 minutes, as he made a darting run into the box and scored with a first-time finish.
Shortly after a response from Iraq, the striker took advantage of a pass which was played to the opposition goalkeeper without any conviction.
For Haaland, it was a debut to remember, as Norway were able to win the match thanks to the start he gave them.
Haaland will be eyeing the golden boot
During his eight appearances in World Cup qualifying, Haaland scored double the amount of goals netted by any other player.
Additionally, he was the Premier League’s top scorer this season, bagging 27 goals, which was five more than Brentford’s Igor Thiago managed.
Therefore, Haaland will be feeling confident in his ability to win the World Cup golden boot, especially with the start he has made.
— Erling Haaland (@ErlingHaaland) June 17, 2026
Norway are not expected to go far
Despite their fine start, the Norwegian team are not one of the contenders for the World Cup. In fact, it would be a surprise if they made it as far as the quarter-final stage.
Which means it is so important that Haaland scores as many goals as he can in the group stage, and the round of 32 if Norway make it there.
The 25-year-old is off to a good start, and he will have to continue being prolific in front of goal if he is to win the golden boot.
