‘It Was About Time’ — Haaland Finally Gets His World Cup Shot
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| Erling Haaland World Cup 2026 |
Norway returns to the World Cup for first time since 1998. Erling Haaland scored 37 goals in 8 qualifying wins as Stale Solbakken’s side faces France, Senegal, and Iraq in the group stage.
Erling Haaland scored twice in a 4-1 win in Italy as Norway qualified for the World Cup. The City striker now leads a confident side into a tough group with France, Senegal, and Iraq.
Erling Haaland is ready to chase goals and finally step into the spotlight at the World Cup with Norway.
Haaland powered Norway back to the World Cup after a 28 year wait and leads a golden generation built to make noise on the world stage.
Norway faces a tough group with tournament favorite France, African powerhouse Senegal, and Iraq. Still, a squad that also features Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard believes they can advance past the round of 16 for the first time in team history.
Martin Odegaard dealt with injuries during qualifying, so Haaland stepped up and led the charge through a perfect campaign.
The Manchester City striker netted 16 goals as Stale Solbakken’s team scored 37 times across eight straight wins.
That run included two blowout wins over Italy that ended up costing the Azzurri a spot at the World Cup.
“I've never experienced Norway being at the World Cup in my life, so I think it was about time,” Haaland told http://FIFA.com.
“For me personally, it is a huge thing. I have said it for a long time, my big goal is to get Norway to the World Cup... It will feel kind of like a dream come true.”
— Erling Haaland (@ErlingHaaland) May 27, 2026
Haaland scored two goals in Norway’s famous 4-1 win in Italy. He said that result has shifted how people view what this team can achieve as they head to the United States.
“We went to San Siro, where not many teams have beaten them in World Cup qualifying, and we've gone and beat them, which shows people we can perform no matter where and no matter what,” he added.
“So, the confidence is there, and we're still a young team.”
Built for the Big Stage
Haaland was marked for greatness from early on.
He’s the son of former Norway international Alf-Inge Haaland and national heptathlon champion Gry Marita Braut. That background gave him a rare mix of explosive speed and a 1.95m, 6ft 5in frame.
“If you were building a centre-forward from the ground up, Erling is what you would be left with,” former England captain Alan Shearer told The Athletic.
“He's a goal machine, someone who is quick and direct, who is physically strong and good in the air, who can score with both feet and whose positioning is fantastic.”
— Erling Haaland (@ErlingHaaland) May 26, 2026
Alf-Inge is credited with carefully guiding his son’s steady climb through European football.
Haaland debuted for his hometown club Bryne at just 15. He then moved to Molde in 2017, where former Manchester United forward Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was manager.
He switched clubs again less than two years later, joining Austrian side Salzburg.
In 2019 he showed what he could do on a big stage by scoring nine goals in a 12-0 win over Honduras at the Under-20 World Cup.
His real breakout came in the Champions League. He scored eight goals in six games during the 2019/20 season and that caught everyone’s attention.
Borussia Dortmund beat other clubs to sign him, using their reputation for developing young players to their advantage.
Two and a half years and 86 goals in 89 games later, Haaland could choose his next move. A smartly negotiated 60 million euro release clause meant Dortmund lost out on his true value.
Our World Cup Squad 🇳🇴 pic.twitter.com/p7HHOYTXUS
— Fotballandslaget (@nff_landslag) May 21, 2026
Manchester City made their move and it paid off immediately. Haaland scored 52 goals in his first season and helped them win the treble.
He’s added 162 goals in under 200 appearances for City overall, and picked up three Premier League Golden Boots in the last four years.
For Norway his scoring is even sharper. He has 55 goals in 49 caps, better than a goal per game.
“It's a different (kind of) gathering, which I really like in football. It brings people together, not only at the stadium in the country, but around the whole world, in front of the TV and all of that,” Haaland added on his first taste of a major tournament.
Built for the biggest stages, Haaland finally has the World Cup platform he and Norway have been waiting for.
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