Norway waited 28 years to get back to the World Cup. Erling Haaland waited his whole career. So far, he’s making up for lost time.
Haaland scored twice against Senegal on Monday, bringing his tournament total to four goals in two games. After the 3-2 win, he posted a simple four-word reaction on social media: “So far, so good.” That’s about as understated as it gets for a guy who’s basically carrying his country’s World Cup hopes on his back.
Norway opened with a 4-1 win over Iraq, then gutted out a 3-2 victory against Senegal. Two wins, six goals scored, and Norway is already through to the knockout stage for only the third time in program history. The other two times were 1938 and 1998. That’s it.
Haaland’s ridiculous run
The numbers are starting to look almost fake. Haaland has now scored in 12 straight international games. Twenty-four goals in those 12 matches. He has 53 goals in 58 appearances for Norway overall. At this rate, he might catch some all-time records before the tournament is over.
He’s tied with Kylian Mbappe for second in the Golden Boot race. Lionel Messi sits alone at the top with five goals after breaking the World Cup all-time scoring record. But Haaland and Mbappe get a head-to-head chance to close that gap on Friday.
What’s at stake against France
Norway faces France in their final group game. Win, and they take the group and draw a third-place team from Groups C, D, F, G or H in the round of 32. Lose or tie, and they finish second in the group, which likely means a matchup with Ivory Coast. Not exactly a toss-up. Top of the group matters.
Haaland vs. Mbappe. Two of the best players on the planet. Both chasing a Golden Boot. Both trying to lead their teams deep into July. Norway hasn’t been in a spot like this since the 90s. Haaland seems to be enjoying every second of it.
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