Double Double! Haaland Fires Norway into 2026 World Cup Round of 32
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
Vikings Row into 2026 World Cup Knockout Rounds
After seeing Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé score twice in Argentina and France’s victories earlier in the day, Erling Haaland responded with a brace of his own against Senegal to send Norway into the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup earlier this morning.
The Manchester City striker has now netted four times in his two matches in this competition, having also notched up a double in the Vikings’ impressive 4-1 victory over Iraq in their opening match, which confirmed our 2026 World Cup predictions.
After Marcus Pedersen gave the Norwegians the lead off the bench, Haaland doubled the team’s lead in the 48th minute by finishing off an incisive pass from Martin Ødegaard, before notching up his second of the game just five minutes later with a side-foot volley.
Haaland has scored in 12 consecutive matches for Norway in all competitions!
The 25-year-old striker has now recorded two goals in each of his last six matches for his national team. With this latest brace, he is now just the sixth player in World Cup history to score multiple goals in each of his first two appearances on football’s grandest stage.
Haaland joins an elite group of players who have achieved this remarkable feat, including the likes of Guillermo Stabile (1930), Sándor Kocsis (1954), Just Fontaine (1958), Grzegorz Lato (1974) and England skipper Harry Kane (2018).
Additionally, the Man City marksman now stands alone as Norway’s all-time leading goal scorer in World Cups (4), surpassing Kjetil Rekdal’s two goals in seven appearances. Haaland now has an incredible 59 goals in just 52 appearances for the Lions.
Golden Boot Race Heats Up as Norway Emerge as Title Contenders
After their record-breaking UEFA World Cup qualification campaign, many wondered if Norway would be able to carry their form to North America. Those questions have certainly been answered now, with the Lions already assured of a spot in the last 32 with a game to spare.
Haaland’s form has certainly been key to the team’s stunning record over the past year, and the City striker is contributing to what is turning into a Golden Boot race for the ages, with Lionel Messi currently leading the way with five goals after two games.
France also romped into the knockout stages by easing past Iraq 3-0 yesterday, when Kylian Mbappé netted in either half to take his tournament tally to four. This is now only the second time in World Cup history where three players have scored 4+ times after two matches.
2026 World Cup Golden Boot Standings
| Pos | Player | Number of goals | Appearances |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi | 5 | 2 |
| 2 | Kylian Mbappé | 4 | 2 |
| 3 | Erling Haaland | 4 | 2 |
| 4 | Deniz Undav | 3 | 2 |
| 5 | Jonathan David | 3 | 2 |
