Before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off, Erling Haaland was already regarded as one of the world’s most prolific strikers. However, with the spotlight on some of the world’s biggest football stars, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappé, fans turned their attention to one of the tournament’s most unbelievable football anomalies: a 6-foot-4 Norwegian Viking striker with luscious long hair, an unbelievable personality, and, best of all, the Haaland theme song backing it all up.

Before making his World Cup debut, Erling Haaland had already conquered English football, shattered scoring records, and won nearly every major club trophy. He announced himself not just as a world-class goalscorer but as the breakout star of the biggest sporting event on the planet.

Erling Haaland’s Career Before the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Erling Haaland started his professional football career in 2016, predominantly in Europe, where he played for clubs in Norway, Austria, and Germany. In 2022, he joined Pep Guardiola at Manchester City FC as a forward, and the pair have enjoyed remarkable success. Haaland has scored many unbelievable goals, proving that while he talked the talk, he also walked the walk.

Since joining Manchester City in 2022, Erling Haaland has scored an incredible 162 goals in 198 appearances across all competitions. He ranks as Manchester City’s fourth-highest all-time goalscorer, behind club legends such as Sergio Agüero, Eric Brook, and Tommy Johnson.

Haaland Goals, World Cup Record, and 2026 Golden Boot Race

Now, with the World Cup underway, Haaland has taken his goalscoring form to football’s biggest stage.

Norway coach Ståle Solbakken named Haaland “the greatest goalscorer in the world,” which may be a stretch. Still, the 25-year-old has certainly made a strong case after taking his World Cup tally to five goals in three games, moving him just one behind Lionel Messi in the race for the tournament’s Golden Boot.

Lionel Messi still tops the 2026 FIFA World Cup scoring charts with six goals in three games, but Haaland isn’t giving him much breathing space in the race for the Golden Boot. Haaland’s World Cup goal tally currently sits just behind Messi’s, with five goals from the same number of appearances.

His goal on Tuesday also extended an extraordinary streak that began in October 2023. Haaland has now scored in every one of Norway’s World Cup fixtures since then, amassing an impressive 25 goals in just 13 appearances.