Erling Haaland shines with two goals on World Cup debut in 2026

Norway’s Erling Haaland scored twice on his World Cup debut as his team beat Iraq 4-1 in the tournament opener.

World Cup opener excitement The 2026 World Cup appeared to get underway on Tuesday when France defeated Senegal 3-1 with two goals from Kylian Mbappe, making him the all-time leading scorer for his national team. Just over an hour later, Haaland made his first appearance in the tournament finals and responded with a performance packed with determination and the goals he is known for. Norway manager Stale Solbakken said after the match that Haaland thrived under the pressure, showing he was equal to the occasion. Iraq’s head coach Graham Arnold admitted Haaland’s threat was clear throughout, calling him an outstanding striker. ## Coach praises Haaland’s World Cup start Solbakken shared that Haaland had a strong feeling before the match, noting the striker’s last training session went very well and he sensed something special would happen. Arnold, who spoke to Haaland after the final whistle, told him, "You're one of the best number nines I've ever seen." He highlighted Haaland’s strength, speed, and finishing as key attributes that make him deadly in front of goal. ## Haaland’s first goal breaks long drought Haaland had fewer touches than any teammate in the opening half, managing just 11, yet his impact was immense. His first goal came just before the half-hour mark when he slotted home a cross from the left by David Moller Wolfe, marking Norway’s first World Cup finals goal since 1998—a gap of 10,220 days. That goal came 759 days before Haaland was born. Commentator Stephen Warnock said on air, "One thing you know is that guy Haaland will find it, he will do everything he can to get on the end of it. A simple finish for a man of his quality. It just had to be him." ## Second goal seals dominant display After Iraq briefly equalized with a towering header from Aymen Hussein, Haaland responded by chasing down a backpass and reacting to goalkeeper Jalal Hassan’s hesitation to pounce and score. Though Haaland nearly completed a hat-trick—blocked by Hassan late on after another turnover and saw a header in added time pushed over his own goal line by Hussein—his two goals ensured Norway’s 4-1 victory. Haaland joins six players to have scored twice in their first match at this World Cup. Warnock remarked, "He could be the difference maker as to how far Norway go in this competition." ## Record-breaking scoring rate for Norway Haaland now has 57 goals in 51 appearances for Norway, placing his goals-per-game ratio among the best ever, surpassing legends Gerd Muller of West Germany and Sandor Kocsis of Hungary. Only Vivian Woodward of England before World War One and Denmark’s Poul Nielsen in the 1920s have scored at a faster rate among players with at least 50 international goals. Former England striker Ellen White commented on air that Haaland’s physical presence and quality inside the box were exceptional, adding that he appears determined to top the tournament’s scoring charts. ## Haaland leads by example in World Cup bow Former Wales defender Ashley Williams praised Haaland’s hunger and leadership, stating that his effort and pressing were at an elite level. Williams said he believed Haaland contributed more to Norway in this match than what is typically seen at Manchester City, where he sometimes appears subdued. The former defender added, "Today he took on a leadership role, he was driving the team forward. It wasn't just his finishing which he has, it was an all-round good performance and you can see what it meant for his team to be at the World Cup."