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Extraordinary striker Erling Haaland will get a chance to play in his initial international competition in the upcoming season, thanks to his efforts with Norway to the World Cup.

And the 25-year-old Premier League striker accomplished it through remarkable fashion, netting 16 goals in eight World Cup qualifying matches - netting at least once in all those encounters.

That makes him the top scorer in 2026 World Cup qualifying in every region.

And his squad's 4-1 win against Italy on Sunday, featuring a Haaland brace, ensures they will participating in next summer's World Cup in the American continent.

Haaland, speaking afterwards: "I'm happy, but primarily relieved. There's a lot of pressure and things, and I feel it. But it's fun."

It will be just their fourth World Cup, and their premier global event since Euro 2000.

What Significance Was Haaland's Contribution?

The striker's scoring statistics for Norway is truly extraordinary.

He has registered 55 goals in 48 matches for Norway.

And in fact he is only the sixth player ever, and the premier in half a century, to score 50 goals in less than 50 appearances.

The nation's former top scorer was Jorgen Juve with 33 goals, who held that record for 90 years.

In these qualifiers he registered 16 finishes - in eight encounters - plus two goal contributions.

This represents twice the goal count anyone else has scored in Europe.

He remains the highest scorer in these qualifying matches in all continents, including ones where teams play double the matches.

More than twelve months has passed since Haaland most recently didn't net in a match for his country.

Squad Contribution Complementing Haaland

Yet it isn't just a one-man show.

Captain Martin Odegaard, 26, has more assists than anyone else in European preliminary matches - seven assists.

The London club's midfielder has played 67 times for Norway since his first appearance at the tender age of fifteen.

"Combine Haaland's success with the reality that in this period we furthermore feature Martin Odegaard," commented an analyst.

We're a country of five million citizens and we possess both the best striker and I would argue the best playmaker, certainly one of the top creators, in the English top flight.

Historical Relevance of World Cup Spot

For the premier occasion in decades Norway followers will witness the joy of supporting their national side in worldwide event.

The Scandinavian country competed in the World Cups in 1994, 1998 and 1938, and the 2000 Euros.

Erling's dad, Alf Inge, played at the 1994 competition.

Erling has previously said exceeding his dad represented a significant personal target for him.

"Norway will cannot win the World Cup," Haaland stated to a global media outlet in recent months.

Escaping Historical Oversight

Haaland heading to the upcoming World Cup with Norway guarantees he dodges his inclusion on the collection of iconic athletes who didn't participate in the tournament.

Three golden ball recipients never managed to reach a World Cup.

The African icon, who claimed championships with various top teams, represented Liberia - who have never reached a World Cup.

Iconic Manchester United winger the footballing genius, considered by many as among the best ever, was a Northern Ireland international during the sixties and seventies when they failed to qualify.

Real Madrid legend the footballing pioneer played for three national teams - Argentina, Colombia and Spain - but didn't make it to a World Cup with any national team.