The 25-year-old Norwegian only had four touches inside the box but with one of them, he broke the deadlock 79 minutes in.
And his second 11 minutes later — a low drive from outside the box — moved him level with France’s Kylian Mbappe and Argentina’s Lionel Messi at the top of the Golden Boot standings with seven goals although Messi has played one game less.
This is the first time in World Cup history that three players have scored seven goals in a single edition of the tournament, and we’re only in the round of 16.
The wunderkind forward had scored twice against both Iraq and Senegal in the group stage before he was rested, as Norway made 10 changes, in a 4-1 defeat by France. But it seems to have paid dividends with his double against Brazil adding to the late winner against Ivory Coast in the last 32.
Whenever Haaland is mentioned, you cannot but immediately say two things: he is one of the most feared strikers in world football, then you turn to his scoring rate which defies belief.
Against Brazil, Haaland needed only four shots to score two goals, underlining how clinical the finishes were, with three attempts on target and one off target.
Altogether in the World Cup, he has taken 18 shots, with 12 on target, and owns a 39 per cent conversion rate. He is scoring roughly every 51 minutes.
Along with Haaland’s goals comes statistics, but they are neither dry nor boring.
Haaland, typically, is averaging a goal every 14 touches this tournament. That is the fewest of any player who, over the last 60 years, has scored 3+ goals in a single edition of the World Cup.
Finishing variety is there, too. He has one headed goal, plus four with his left foot and two with his right. He has six goals from inside the box and one from outside.
Haaland has scored 62 goals in 54 senior internationals — averaging a goal every 71 minutes. More impressively, only six of those goals have been penalties.
The Manchester City striker has now scored in each of his past 14 competitive appearances for Norway, claiming 27 goals in that run.
Haaland has scored seven goals from just 18 shots at this World Cup (39 per cent). That’s the best conversion rate in a single World Cup since Gary Lineker in 1986 (six goals from 15 shots).
Haaland has now indeed delivered on the biggest stage when his detractors, who aren’t many, have accused him of being super only at club level.
His fans are the world over, including Egypt, where social media has gone agog over his exploits, often using the word “bulldozer”.
This is only Norway’s fourth World Cup appearance — the first since 1998. And the furthest they had gone before this year were two last-16 finishes 50 years apart, in 1938 and 1998.
This improbable run is stirring up Norwegian pride in fans at stadiums and in the streets where the games are taking place, and across the Scandinavian country of just over 5.5 million people.
“It’s incredible to win,” said Haaland after the Brazil game. “I mean it’s a bit surreal. Of course, as a football player you want to be in the World Cup and you want to perform, but to score seven goals for Norway in the World Cup, it’s quite special.
“It’s unreal and I don’t have words. It’s difficult to find words for what I’m feeling, what I’m doing, because it is unreal. I need to pinch myself in the arm because it’s big.
“I couldn’t quite believe it because I didn’t dream of this ever in my life,” said Haaland.
“I dreamed of playing in the World Cup with Norway and taking them to the World Cup, but I never expected to win against Brazil, let’s be honest. I thought it was not possible to do some things, but I guess I’m wrong.
“I peaked a couple of times in this tournament, but every now and then I get a new peak,” he said. “If I have a chance or two, then very often I score. I’m not quite sure, but this is what I do.
“It’s all about being focused and taking the chances I get. And I normally get them even if I don’t score on the first one.
“This is just an insane day,” Haaland said. “It is one of the most insane days in Norwegian history.”
Norway will face England in Miami on 11 July for a place in the semi-finals.
Brazil, meanwhile, suffered their earliest exit at the World Cup since going out to arch-rivals Argentina in the last 16 in 1990.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 9 July, 2026 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.
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