By Amofokhai Williams
Erling Haaland delivered a breathtaking performance, scoring five goals and providing two assists in Norway’s 11-1 demolition of Moldova during a FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifying match at Ullevaal Stadion on Tuesday.
The Manchester City striker’s extraordinary display, despite playing with stitches on his lip from a bizarre bus door incident, propelled Norway to the top of Group I with a perfect record and sparked global comparisons to football legends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Norway’s dominance was evident from the outset, with Haaland netting a first-half hat-trick in the 11th, 36th, and 43rd minutes, setting the tone for a one-sided Group I clash.
The 25-year-old added two more goals in the 52nd and 83rd minutes, showcasing his lethal finishing and physical prowess against a beleaguered Moldovan defense.
His five-goal haul marked a career-high for Norway and was the most by a European male player in a World Cup qualifier since Austria’s Hans Krankl scored six against Malta in 1977.
Haaland’s performance was complemented by Rangers midfielder Thelo Aasgaard, who scored three goals after coming off the bench in the 64th minute, while Arsenal’s Martin Ødegaard and Felix Horn Myhre also found the net.
Moldova’s lone goal came from an own goal by Norwegian defender Leo Østigård, a rare blemish in an otherwise flawless display.
Norway’s 11-1 victory is the largest margin in the current European World Cup qualifying cycle, surpassing Denmark’s 8-0 win over Andorra earlier this year.
Despite a minor injury sustained on Monday when a luggage door struck him while exiting a team bus, requiring three stitches, Haaland was unstoppable.
The striker’s tally now stands at 48 goals in 45 caps for Norway, surpassing his appearance count, and he leads the UEFA qualifiers scoring chart with nine goals.
His performance drew comparisons to Messi, who scored five goals for Argentina in a 2022 friendly against Estonia, and Ronaldo, who has never achieved a five-goal international haul despite his record 39 World Cup qualifying goals.
With five wins from five matches, Norway sit atop Group I with 15 points, six ahead of second-placed Italy, who edged Israel 5-4 on Monday.
The result strengthens Norway’s bid for their first World Cup appearance since 1998, with their final qualifier against Italy in November looming as a potential decider.
