There is a photo somewhere of Alf-Inge Haaland in the summer of 1994, in a red Norway shirt, playing at a World Cup in the United States. His son Erling has seen the photo. He was reportedly “amused” by it. He should be — because 32 years later, Erling Braut Haaland walked out onto American soil and did his father one better. Much, much better.
Norway hadn’t been to a World Cup since 1998. That’s 28 years. An entire generation of Norwegian fans grew up, had kids of their own, and never once saw their country at football’s biggest stage. Erling Haaland was born 19 days after Norway’s last World Cup game. He has literally never known what it feels like to watch Norway at a tournament — until now. And this time, he’s not watching.
“I’ve never experienced Norway being at the World Cup in my life,” Haaland told ESPN before the tournament. “I think it was about time.”
Understatement of the summer.
Game One: Norway 4–1 Iraq, Foxborough
Haaland opened his World Cup account in the 29th minute, finishing a low cross at the back post with the clinical certainty that makes defenders question their life choices. He added a second before halftime, pressing Iraq’s goalkeeper into a fumble and converting the wreckage without blinking. A brace on debut. Not bad for a man who had to wait until 25 just to get there.
The first match also came with a storyline that gives you genuine goosebumps. Three Norway players that day — Haaland, Alexander Sørloth, and Kristian Thorstvedt — are all sons of players who featured at the 1994 World Cup, also on American soil. Their fathers played together in a match against Italy 32 years earlier at that same tournament. Norway became the first team in World Cup history to field three sons of former World Cup players in the same game. A full-circle moment, written in goals.
Game Two: Norway 3–2 Senegal, MetLife Stadium
If game one was a statement, game two was a street fight. A rain-swept MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, a Senegal side scrapping for their tournament lives, and a match that twisted in every direction for 93 dramatic minutes. Norway led 1-0 at the break, Senegal equalised through a clinical Ismaila Sarr finish, and the whole thing was in the balance.
Then Haaland put it on his back.
In the 48th minute, he rifled home into the roof of the net — and became Norway’s all-time leading scorer at World Cups outright. His second goal just before the hour restored Norway’s two-goal cushion. Norway held on to win 3-2, and his manager Stale Solbakken was barely containing himself afterwards: “He is the best striker — he is not playing for France or Argentina, he scores for Norway. He’s scored four goals, two braces on the biggest stage.”
Four goals in two games. He also missed an open goal and hit the post in that second match. He could easily have six.
The full picture is staggering. Haaland scored 16 goals in just 8 qualifiers to drag Norway here — a joint record. He has now scored in his last 12 competitive appearances for his country. He is only the sixth player in history to score multiple goals in each of his first two World Cup appearances. He wears “Braut Haaland” on his shirt — honouring both his mother Gry Marita Braut, a former heptathlete, and his father — a small, quietly powerful detail on the world’s biggest stage.
Up next: France. Mbappé versus Haaland. June 26. A potential group decider.
Solbakken, with brilliant Norwegian bluntness, said: “They’ll probably beat us and go on and win the whole tournament.”
Don’t be so sure, coach. The son of Norway has waited 25 years for this moment. He doesn’t look like he’s going anywhere.
Man of the Match: Haaland
