Norway’s Erling Haaland punishes Iraq with double on World Cup debut

Erling Haaland scored a first-half double on his World Cup debut as Norway defeated Iraq, mirroring Kylian Mbappé's two-goal performance for France against Senegal. The 25-year-old Manchester City striker is seen as central to Norway's hopes for a deep tournament run and the Golden Boot race. Post-match, Haaland modestly noted that Mbappé and Harry Kane had outscored him during the 2025-26 season, while warning opponents his intensity remains high.