Erling Haaland and Norway are completely rewriting their World Cup destiny. The unstoppable Manchester City superstar just smashed a milestone at a pace that even legends like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo couldn’t touch. By shattering a staggering 72-year-old World Cup record with his clutch, decisive goal against Ivory Coast, Haaland has etched yet another unbelievable chapter into his already legendary career.
Norway’s journey at the 2026 World Cup has turned into one of the biggest stories of the tournament, with Haaland becoming the player everyone is watching whenever he steps onto the pitch. His latest achievement has raised the question of how far this incredible run can go as Norway prepares for an even bigger challenge ahead.
The Vikings secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast in the Round of 32, booking a historic place in the next stage of the tournament. The match appeared destined for extra time after Antonio Nusa opened the scoring for Norway before Manchester United forward Amad Diallo equalized for Ivory Coast in the second half.
The deciding moment arrived in the 86th minute when Haaland found himself in the perfect position to finish Patrick Berg’s cross. The goal was far from his most spectacular strike, but it carried enormous importance as Norway recorded its first-ever World Cup knockout victory.
The victory means Stale Solbakken’s side advanced to face Brazil in the Round of 16, matching the country’s best-ever World Cup performance from the 1998 tournament. For Haaland, however, the night was about much more than progression in the competition.
The historic record Haaland achieved at the World Cup
With his goal against Ivory Coast, Erling Haaland became the first player in 72 years to score in each of his first three World Cup appearances. The Norwegian striker reached the milestone after scoring twice against Iraq, twice against Senegal, and then adding the winner against Ivory Coast.
Haaland scored a brace against Iraq
The achievement placed the 25-year-old alongside a very exclusive group of players and highlighted how quickly he has adapted to soccer’s biggest international stage. He was rested for Norway’s final group match against France, meaning his record came across only three appearances.
The Manchester City forward became only the third player in history to achieve the feat, following previous legends who made similar starts decades earlier. The other two players grouped into this specific narrative are Guillermo Stabile and Sandor Kocsis. What makes the record even more impressive is that Haaland achieved it during Norway’s first World Cup appearance in 28 years.
| Player | Country | World Cup Year | Streak (Consecutive Matches Scored In) |
| Guillermo Stabile | Argentina | 1930 | 4 matches |
| Sandor Kocsis | Hungary | 1954 | 4 matches |
| Erling Haaland | Norway | 2026 | 3 matches (active streak) |
Haaland marks record faster than Messi and Ronaldo
The goal against Ivory Coast also marked another incredible achievement for the Norwegian superstar. Haaland became the fastest player in men’s international soccer history to reach 60 goals for his country, doing so in only 53 appearances.
The previous record belonged to Hungarian icon Ferenc Puskas, who scored 60 goals in 63 matches. Haaland surpassed that mark by reaching the same number in 10 fewer games.
The numbers become even more remarkable when compared with modern soccer’s biggest names. Lionel Messi needed 122 matches to score his first 60 international goals for Argentina, while Cristiano Ronaldo reached the milestone after 130 appearances for Portugal.
The Athletic reported that “Haaland reached the 60-goal mark in 69 fewer games than Lionel Messi, and 77 fewer than Cristiano Ronaldo.” At just 25 years old, Haaland has already created a goal record that puts him among the greatest international scorers in soccer history.
