Advertisement
Inside Erling Haaland’s potential greatest World Cup debut ahead of England’s duel
10th July, 2026 09:45 AM
As Norway continues to defy the odds in their first World Cup appearance in 28 years, there is no doubt that Erling Haaland has been their standout performer. The prolific striker has been in awe of his own scoring streak in the ongoing tournament, describing it as ‘a gift from God’ as he continues to mesmerize both pundits and fans.
The Manchester City ace will look to extend his fine run of form as Norway chases a historic semifinal berth in their clash against England on Sunday, July 12, 2026.
K24 Sports delves into the Norwegian talisman’s astonishing international career and what is shaping up to be the greatest World Cup debut ever seen.
With seven goals so far, Haaland has already surpassed the six goals Brazil legend Pelé managed during his iconic 1958 debut as a 17-year-old. While Haaland is admittedly older than Pelé was, his tally is also nearly double the four goals Kylian Mbappé scored at age 19 to help France secure the 2018 world title.
Norway’s group stage cruise
Haaland opened his account with a brace in Norway’s 4-1 group-stage win over Iraq.
He replicated that double with a massive performance as Norway edged Senegal 3-2 to advance, bringing his tally to four goals in just two games. The talisman was subsequently rested on the bench during the final group match against France to keep him fresh for the knockout stages.
His fifth goal arrived in the Round of 32 clash against Côte d’Ivoire on June 30, 2026, where he struck a dramatic 86th-minute winner to secure a 2-1 victory.
He followed that up with another clinical brace against Brazil in the Round of 16, making him the first player since West German legend Gerd Müller to score seven goals in his first four career World Cup appearances.
Haaland vs Mbappe
On the international stage, this tournament marks yet another milestone for the 25-year-old, who has now remarkably scored in each of Norway’s last 13 competitive matches, yielding an astonishing 25 goals since October 2024.
With 62 goals in just 54 international caps, the striker boasts a far more lethal scoring ratio than Mbappé.
The French skipper, who scored in France’s 2-0 quarter-final win over Morocco to seal a semi-final spot, grabbed his 64th international goal in his 104th appearance for Les Bleus—meaning Haaland has reached a similar goal tally in almost half the games.
“Personally, to score seven goals for Norway in the World Cup is quite special; it is unreal and difficult to put into words what I am doing. I need to pinch myself sometimes because it is big,” Haaland reflected after the Brazil game.
To put his absurd numbers into perspective, it took Lionel Messi six World Cups to reach his record-leading 20 tournament goals, while Mbappé reached the same milestone across three editions.
Meanwhile, Haaland already has seven goals in his very first tournament, and with Norway still alive in the competition, it remains to be seen where the Norwegian marksman will stop.
