When Norway played their World Cup 2026 opening match against Iraq on 16th June, it did not seem like they were returning to the tournament after 28 years.
The Vikings performed like regular contenders, and their superstar striker Erling Haaland was in tremendous form.
Scoring twice in his first ever World Cup match, Haaland made things look easy, before Leo Ostigard and an own goal secured 3 points for the team.
With 4 of his 5 shots on target, meaning a shot accuracy of 80%, and 7 crucial touches in the opposition box, Haaland was an easy choice for the Man of the Match award.
It was particularly his 2nd goal that displayed his sheer athletic prowess and dominance, as he intercepted a backpass by Iraqi defender Zaid Tahseen before the goalkeeper, Jalal Hassan, could get to it.
With the ball back in his feet, Haaland scored easily and restored Norway’s lead
Erling Haaland is the second in his family to represent Norway at the World Cup, with his father, Alf-Inge, having played as the right-back in the 1998 edition.
With two goals already to his name, the Manchester City forward will be looking to score more and lead his nation past the group stages and also the Round of 16 for the first time.
Along with the fantastic performance in the match, fans on the internet are also invested in Haaland’s unusual hunched over running style, which genuinely made him look even more aggressive than he is.
Many were quick to point out Haaland running in from behind an opposition player appearing very similar to the characters from the Omni-Man comics.
Haaland’s aggressive demeanor and playstyle was termed as “scary” by fans of the internet, with many joking sympathizing with the Iraqi players for having to deal with his pressing throughout the match.
It did not take long for hilariously ridiculous Photoshop edits to appear either.
The BBC Sport presentation of the match showed a special 3D render of how the 2nd goal panned out and what it must have looked like from the perspective of the Iraqi goalkeeper.
The purpose of the video was obviously to show the awareness of Erling Haaland, which makes him one of the top number 9s in the game at present, and also the sheer speed with which he covered ground to intercept the pass and score.
But fans have conversed more about how scary it must have been for the goalkeeper to see the 6-and-a-half-feet striker charge towards him.
Me in my living room staring at a 3D render of Erling Haaland charging me down: pic.twitter.com/cboB8dKIxC
— Sleeper Football (@SleeperFooty) June 17, 2026
Norway face Senegal next in Group I, on 22nd June, before their final exciting clash in the group stage against France, on 26th June.
