EAST RUTHERFORD – His coach calls him the best goal-scorer in the world.
In his debut on New Jersey soil, Erling Haaland showed why.
The Norwegian striker scored in the 48th minute to give his team a 2-0 lead over Senegal in Monday night’s World Cup group stage match at MetLife Stadium.
Haaland, wearing Norway’s No. 9 shirt, drilled a left-footed shot to the top right corner after Martin Odegaard laid off a pass.
HAALAND GOOOAAL to double Norway’s advantage! 🇳🇴 pic.twitter.com/a6wPnRRk7E
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 23, 2026
This World Cup is Haaland’s first, and only the fourth time Norway has ever qualified for the tournament. The Scandinavian nation reached the Round of 16 in 1938 and 1998, but has never won multiple matches at a single World Cup.
Haaland entered the match after scoring twice in Norway’s 4-1 win over Iraq in Foxborough. That followed a dominant 2025 qualifying campaign in which he scored in all eight matches, totaling 16 goals. After the Iraq win, coach Ståle Solbakken called him the “best goal-scorer in the world.”
Haaland brushed it aside.
“I would say I’m up there,” Haaland said. “I don’t think I scored the most goals this season, so statistically no. I’m not because I think Harry Kane and [Kylian] Mbappé scored more goals than me. That’s the reality. So no, I’m not.”
The 25‑year‑old Manchester City striker also arrived in New Jersey with three Premier League Golden Boots in the last four seasons, the record as the fastest player to reach 100 Premier League goals (111 matches), and two seasons as the Champions League’s top scorer.
His goal against Senegal comes less than a week after another global superstar left Bergen County buzzing. Kylian Mbappé scored twice at MetLife Stadium in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal on June 16 to become his country’s all‑time leading scorer.
Monday’s match is part of an eight‑game World Cup slate at MetLife Stadium. Norway will wrap up group play against France on June 26 at “Boston Stadium” in Foxborough.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Erling Haaland scores World Cup goal for Norway at MetLife Stadium
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