Erling Haaland scored twice to lead Norway to a historic 2-1 victory over Brazil in the World Cup last-16, securing Norway's first-ever quarter-final appearance in the tournament. Despite having only four touches inside the box during the match, Haaland broke the deadlock in the 79th minute and added a second goal 11 minutes later with a low drive from outside the box. His performance moved him level with Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi at the top of the Golden Boot standings with seven goals. Pundits praised Haaland's clinical edge, with former Scotland winger Pat Nevin noting on BBC Radio 5 Live that there was "not a chance there" before the winning goal, and Ian Wright highlighting that Haaland didn't need many touches to be effective. The victory means Norway, competing at a World Cup for the first time since 1998, are now three wins away from a potential world title, with England or co-hosts Mexico up next. Wayne Rooney commented that Haaland has given the whole country belief they can go far in the competition. Haaland's international record is remarkable: he has scored 62 goals in 54 senior internationals, averaging a goal every 71 minutes, with only six of those being penalties. He has now scored in each of his past 14 competitive appearances for Norway, totaling 27 goals in that run. His battle with Brazil's Gabriel was a key storyline, and despite being limited to one touch inside the box before halftime, Haaland ultimately had the final say.
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