Read, Digital Desk : Erling Haaland in his first World Cup appearances in 2026, the Norwegian attacker currently has a total of four. It marks Haaland’s second brace of the tournament in 2026 to earn him place in a notable group of footballers when he helps Norway defeat Senegal 3-2 to clinch a spot in the knockouts. The World Cup is underway in 2026 and it’s shaping up to be a defining one for Haaland.
The Norwegian forward has lived up to the hype with his national side.
Having made his World Cup debut against Iraq in which he scored two goals that fired his team to a commanding 4-1 victory. With another brace performance versus Senegal, the Vikings went on to win 3-2, securing qualification for the knockouts after their 28-year absence. From 48 minutes onwards, Haaland’s header put the team on the scoreboard following Marcus Pedersen’s goal in minute 43. Haaland reacted to Martin Odegaard’s pass, unleashing a left footed effort that flew over the outstretched glove of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
Another one from the striker extended the score to 2 and set him to play catch up.
The 25-year-old scored again, taking the ball from his halfway to run past several of Senegal players and convert to his right foot inside eight yards. Only second player to meet enormous goal in 52 years Haaland’s two-goal performance against Senegal marks his position as the second player in the past 52 years to get on the score sheet in their first two World Cup games. England captain Harry Kane is the only other to have previously done this when he managed the feat back in 2018.
He now becomes the sixth player to reach this achievement since the World Cup’s inaugural event in 1930, and joins Guillermo Stabile, Sndor Kocsis, Just Fontaine, Grzegorz Lato and Kane. Top World Cup players by the numbers in their opening matches: Guillermo Stabile (first three matches), Sndor Kocsis (first four matches), Just Fontaine, Grzegorz Lato, Harry Kane, Erling Haaland Norway make Knockouts With a win over Iraq earlier on, France already confirmed their qualification along with Norway in Group I. With both teams securing 6 points each from their first two matches, they will go head to head in the last group stage encounter in an attempt to finish at the top of the group.
Having succumbed to France in their first fixture, Senegal has now suffered consecutive defeats in a World Cup tournament for the first time in their history and are in need of a victory against Iraq if they harbour any hopes of advancing.
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