Defying logic – how Haaland could end up with 260 international goalsImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, All five of Erling Haaland’s goals at the 2026 World Cup have been one-touch finishesByEmma SmithBBC Sport journalistPublished19 minutes agoErling Haaland stood on the pitch in Dallas, a goofy grin across his face and a Viking helmet atop his head at a jaunty angle. He was drinking it all in.Norway had just beaten Ivory Coast 2-1, their first knockout victory in World Cup history. It was celebrated by players and fans joining together in their now iconic Viking Row celebration – conducted by Martin Odegaard on the drum.
And, of course, Haaland had scored the winner. It was hardly his best international goal – a scuff off his instep from Patrick Berg’s pull-back that Ivorian keeper Yaya Fofana nearly grabbed off the line – but it is his most important.
Norway became the first European side to reach the last 16, succeeding where Germany and the Netherlands failed. It matches their best World Cup showing, achieved 28 years ago in their last finals appearance in 1998. They face Brazil next, in what could prove a blockbuster.
For Haaland, it means his eye-popping international scoring record now features a goal of real substance to go alongside the five strikes against Moldova and another five hat-tricks versus Romania, Kazakhstan and Gibraltar among others.
Haaland has now scored 60 goals in 53 senior internationals – averaging a goal every 72 minutes – but the first 55 had not come in a major tournament with Norway having previously failed to qualify for any during his lifetime.
But, at the 2026 World Cup, Haaland has delivered on the big stage with five goals in three appearances – only Lionel Messi has more in North America – and based on his huge smile on the pitch in Dallas and his light-hearted social media misadventures off it, it is a stage on which he is thriving.
“Norway are a very good team, and purely because of that man,” reported former England captain turned BBC pundit Wayne Rooney. “Because of his goals, he has proven that he belongs at this World Cup level.
“He is just devastating. He wasn’t in the game much, but he came up with the winning goal.”
“I think Norway had the final bit of quality,” added ex-England international Steph Houghton. “The big man was always going to score the winner.”
