Erling Haaland scored a late winner as Norway beat Ivory Coast 2-1 to book their place in the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup. The Manchester City striker struck the decisive goal in a tense encounter that saw the Ivory Coast fight back after falling behind. Norway's victory ensures they progress in the tournament, while the Ivory Coast exit despite a resilient performance.
Meanwhile, the race for the Golden Boot is heating up. Kylian Mbappe drew level with Lionel Messi after scoring in France's 3-0 win over Sweden. The Real Madrid star continues his blistering form, joining Messi at the top of the scoring charts. Ousmane Dembele, Erling Haaland and Vinicius Jr are all in hot pursuit of the Argentina superstar, making the battle for the top scorer award one of the most competitive in recent memory.
“Erling Haaland scores late to send Norway into World Cup last 16; Mbappe draws level with Messi in golden boot race.”
With Norway now through to the knockout stages, Haaland will have his sights set on both team success and individual glory, as the Golden Boot race remains wide open.