In a night that will be forever etched in Norwegian football memory, Erling Braut Haaland turned a moment of rare vulnerability into one of utter dominance, firing a sensational hat-trick as Norway dismantled Israel 5–0 in a 2026 World Cup qualifying match at Ullevaal Stadion.
The emphatic win not only piled the pressure on Italy in the group but also placed Norway tantalizingly close to a return to football’s grandest stage.
From the outset, the atmosphere around Oslo crackled with tension. Pro-Palestinian protests snaked through the city streets before kickoff, with banners, chants and flares greeting spectators on their way to the stadium. Some fans jeered Israel’s anthem while attending police maintained a tight security perimeter. Inside the stadium, the mood was uneasy yet electric — a fusion of sporting expectation and political undercurrents.
The match began with a sharp reminder that even the best occasionally falter. Haaland, Norway’s talisman, stepped up to take a penalty after just a few minutes, only to see his low strike saved by Israel’s goalkeeper Daniel Peretz. A VAR review then forced a retake on the ground that Peretz had jumped off his line prematurely, yet Haaland’s second attempt was met with another brilliant stop.
In doing so, he became one of the few elite strikers to endure the embarrassment of two consecutive missed penalties — but Haaland is not any ordinary striker.
Rather than allow the early mistakes to define the evening, Haaland responded. In the 18th minute, Alexander Sorloth’s clever run down the flank produced a low cross that deflected off Israel forward Anan Khalaili into the net for an own goal. That moment broke the ice, and 11 minutes later Haaland — at last — found his mark.
Haaland collected a pass from Sorloth, drove inside the box, and curled a clinical finish into the near corner to double Norway’s lead. Norway’s third came moments later in chaotic fashion, as a defensive miscommunication involving Peretz and defender Idan Nachmias resulted in another own goal.
With a comfortable three-goal cushion, Norway did not let up in the second half. In the 63rd minute, Haaland rose to meet Antonio Nusa’s cross with a powerful header, nodding home his 50th goal for Norway, equaling a milestone in his relatively few international appearances.
Minutes later he completed his treble, again converting a header from a pinpoint Nusa delivery to send the home crowd into delirium. His final tally of three goals — alongside the two own goals — gave Norway a dominant 5–0 margin.
Afterwards, Haaland reflected on the rollercoaster evening with characteristic humility. “I’m proud of how the team responded,” he said. “Missing two penalties early wasn’t ideal, but football gives you chances to write redemption, and tonight we took them.”
Norway coach Ståle Solbakken also praised his side’s resilience, emphasising that the team’s mental toughness remained their greatest asset. “We stayed composed even when the game threatened to rattle us,” he remarked. “This kind of performance shows character.” Israel’s manager, Ran Ben Shimon, lamented the harshness of the result but praised Norway’s class. “They were better in all departments,” he observed. “Our defence cracked under pressure; you can’t afford to do that at this level.”
For Norway, this result carries significance beyond goal difference. With six wins from six in Group I, they now boast a staggering +26 goal difference and hold a nine-point lead over Italy, who have two games in hand. Barring a complete collapse in their remaining fixtures against Estonia and Italy, Norway looks destined for a first World Cup appearance in more than a quarter century. For Italy’s national side, the path to automatic qualification has now narrowed perilously; their best hope may lie in the play-off route.
In the stands, supporters stayed long after the final whistle, serenading the team with chants of “Norway to the World Cup.” Haaland, clutching the match ball, was surrounded by teammates and fans alike in moments of exultation. The long wait since 1998 for a return to the global stage feels closer than ever.