Haaland announces World Cup arrival with double as Norway crush Iraq

Erling Haaland wasted little time announcing himself on football’s biggest stage.

The Manchester City forward scored twice in his World Cup debut as Norway celebrated its return to the tournament with a commanding 4-1 victory over Iraq on Tuesday, ending a 26-year wait since their last appearance at a major global championship.

Haaland’s brace, combined with late goals from Leo Østigård and an own goal, gave Norway a winning start in Group I and placed them level on points with France at the top of the standings.

For a Norwegian side carrying the hopes of a new generation, the result represented a powerful opening statement.

Haaland delivers when Norway needed him most

Norway began brightly, and their attacking threat quickly became impossible for Iraq to contain.

Antonio Nusa repeatedly created problems with his pace and movement, and it was his clever work that opened the door for the opening goal in the 29th minute.

Nusa released David Møller Wolfe into space, and the defender’s low cross found Haaland, who stretched to guide the ball home from close range.

The goal was Haaland’s first at a World Cup and extended his remarkable international record to 57 goals in just 51 appearances.

But Iraq, appearing at their first World Cup since 1986, refused to collapse.

Ten minutes after falling behind, they responded with a moment of quality.

Amir Al-Ammari delivered a perfectly placed cross into the area, and Aymen Hussein rose above the defense to power a header past goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland, restoring parity.

A costly mistake restores Norway’s advantage

The contest remained open, but Iraq’s defensive error before halftime changed the direction of the match.

A misplaced pass back toward goalkeeper Jalal Hassan created hesitation, and Haaland reacted instantly.

The striker closed down the loose ball, blocked the attempted clearance, and watched as it deflected off him and into the net.

It was an opportunistic finish, the kind of moment that separates elite attackers from everyone else.

Norway went into the break ahead 2-1.

Iraq fight until the end, but Norway pull away

Despite trailing, Iraq continued to push forward.

They nearly equalized again when Ibrahim Bayesh saw a dangerous effort blocked, while Ali Al-Hamadi dragged a shot wide after a promising run. Akam Hashim also came close with a powerful volley that narrowly missed the target.

However, Norway’s quality eventually proved decisive.

Substitute Leo Østigård rose highest to head home Martin Ødegaard’s corner in the 76th minute, giving Norway breathing room and effectively ending Iraq’s resistance.

Haaland almost completed his hat trick after another defensive mistake sent him through on goal, but Hassan denied him with a strong save.

The Norwegian striker still influenced the final moment of the match, however.

His looping header back across goal struck Hussein and rolled over the line for an own goal deep into stoppage time, completing the 4-1 victory.

A dream start for Norway’s new era

The victory marked a significant moment for a country that has been absent from the World Cup since 1998.

That last appearance featured a famous group-stage win over Brazil, with current Norway coach Ståle Solbakken part of that squad.

Now, Solbakken’s team is hoping Haaland, Ødegaard, and a talented supporting cast can write a new chapter.

After a difficult qualifying journey, Iraq’s return ended in defeat, but their competitive spirit offered encouragement.

For Norway, the message was clear: their long-awaited return has begun with ambition, and with Haaland leading the charge.