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Extraordinary goalgetter Erling Haaland secures a crack at his initial international competition this coming summer, after leading Norway to the World Cup.

Additionally, the 25-year-old Manchester City striker achieved it with outstanding performance, netting 16 goals in eight World Cup qualifiers - netting at least once in each of those matches.

This positions him as the leading goalscorer in 2026 World Cup qualifying in every region.

Additionally, his country's 4-1 win versus Italy on Sunday, where Haaland scored twice, means they will be participating in next summer's World Cup in North America.

Haaland, speaking afterwards: "I'm happy, but primarily relieved. There's considerable expectation and stuff, and I sense it. But it's exciting."

This represents only their fourth World Cup, and their premier global event since the 2000 Euros.

The Crucial Role Was Haaland's Contribution?

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

He has scored 55 goals in 48 matches for the national team.

And in fact he is only the sixth player ever, and the first in 53 years, to score 50 goals in fewer than 50 caps.

The team's earlier leading goalscorer was Juve with 33 strikes, who maintained that achievement for nine decades.

Throughout these preliminary games he scored 16 goals - in eight encounters - plus two setup passes.

This amounts to double the scoring total anyone else has registered in European qualifying.

He stands as the leading goalscorer in these qualifying matches in all continents, including areas where teams play double the matches.

Beyond a full year has passed since Haaland previously didn't score in a game for Norway.

Collective Performance Complementing Haaland

But it is not just a one-man show.

Skipper Martin Odegaard, 26, has greater goal contributions than anyone else in European qualifying - seven assists.

The London club's midfielder has made 67 appearances for Norway since making his debut at the age of 15.

"Combine Haaland's success with the reality that in this generation we furthermore feature Martin Odegaard," commented a Norwegian journalist.

We're a country of five million people and we possess both the best striker and I'd suggest the top creator, certainly one of the premier midfielders, in the English top flight.

Historical Significance of Successful Qualification

For the first time in decades Norway fans will experience the excitement of backing their team at an international tournament.

Their nation competed in the World Cups in 1998, 1994 and 1938, and Euro 2000.

His father, Alf Inge, played at the 1994 World Cup.

The striker has mentioned before exceeding his father was a big career ambition for him.

"Norway will cannot win the World Cup," the striker mentioned to an international magazine in recent months.

Escaping Historical Oversight

Haaland's participation in the upcoming World Cup with Norway guarantees he dodges his inclusion on the list of great players who didn't participate in the tournament.

Three golden ball recipients didn't succeed to qualify for the World Cup.

The Liberian legend, who secured titles with multiple European clubs, represented Liberia - who haven't qualified for a World Cup.

Legendary Red Devils attacker the Northern Irish star, viewed by plenty as one of football's greatest players, was a Northern Ireland international during the 1960s and 70s when they did not qualify.

Los Blancos icon the Argentine-Spanish star represented three nations - Colombia, Spain and Argentina - but didn't make it to a World Cup with any of them.