Erling Haaland continues to rewrite football history. The Norwegian superstar scored the decisive goal in Norway's dramatic 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32, matching one of the country's most remarkable World Cup records in the process.
With his fifth goal of the tournament, Haaland has now equalled Norway's all-time record for the most goals scored by the entire national team at a single FIFA World Cup. That milestone was originally set by Norway's 1998 squad, which scored five goals across the tournament.
The astonishing difference? It took an entire team several matches to reach that tally in 1998, while Haaland has matched it all by himself in just three World Cup appearances in 2026. It is an incredibly rare feat in World Cup history for a single player to equal the goal total of an entire national team from one of its greatest tournaments, underlining why Haaland is widely regarded as one of football's true generational talents.
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Match Summary: Norway 2-1 Ivory Coast
Norway booked their place in the Round of 16 after surviving a thrilling battle against Ivory Coast. Antonio Nusa opened the scoring with a brilliant individual effort to give the Norwegians the advantage before halftime. Ivory Coast fought back strongly and found an equaliser in the 74th minute through Amad Diallo, setting up a tense finish.
Just when extra time looked inevitable, Norway produced a superb team move. Oscar Bobb helped create the opening before Patrick Berg delivered a low cross into the box, where Haaland arrived at the perfect moment to score the winning goal in the 86th minute. Goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland then made a crucial late save to preserve Norway's historic victory, sending them into the knockout stage for the first time.
Another Historic World Cup Achievement
Haaland's goal also saw him become the first player in 72 years to score in each of his first three FIFA World Cup appearances.
The Manchester City striker has adapted to football's biggest stage with incredible ease, scoring in every World Cup match he has played so far while carrying Norway's attack throughout the tournament.
Haaland's Incredible International Scoring Streak
The 25-year-old is also enjoying one of the greatest goalscoring runs ever seen in international football.
Haaland has now scored in 13 consecutive competitive international matches, finding the net an incredible 25 times during that stretch.
His remarkable run includes goals against:
Sloveni
Kazakhstan
Moldova
Israel
Italy
Estonia
Moldova
Israel
Estonia
Italy
Iraq
Senegal
Ivory Coast
Quite simply, he has been unstoppable, combining elite finishing with remarkable consistency regardless of the opposition.
Brazil Awaits in the Round of 16
Norway's reward for defeating Ivory Coast is a blockbuster Round of 16 clash against Brazil. It will be their toughest challenge yet, with Carlo Ancelotti's side among the tournament favourites.
If Norway are to produce one of the biggest upsets of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, they will once again look to Erling Haaland. After already matching a World Cup record once held by an entire Norwegian team and continuing his extraordinary scoring streak, the prolific striker will hope to inspire his nation to another historic victory on football's biggest stage.
