By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
Erling Haaland has thrown himself firmly into the race for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Boot on Sunday after scoring his seventh goal of the tournament in Norway’s stunning Round of 16 victory over Brazil in the FIFA World Cup.
The prolific striker continued his remarkable scoring run by finding the net in Norway’s memorable 2-1 win over the five-time world champions, a result that sent the Scandinavian side into the quarter-finals for the first time in their history.
Haaland’s latest strike took his tournament tally to seven goals, drawing him level with football icons Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé at the top of the Golden Boot standings.
Haaland once again underlined his reputation as one of the world’s most clinical finishers. After Brazil dominated the early exchanges, the Norwegian captain turned the game on its head with a composed finish before adding another decisive goal to seal one of the biggest upsets of the tournament. His performance not only eliminated one of the favourites but also kept Norway’s dream World Cup campaign alive.
The race for the tournament’s top scorer is now shaping up to be one of the most exciting subplots of FIFA 2026. Messi, Mbappé and Haaland have each scored seven goals, setting up a fascinating battle as the competition enters the quarter-final stage. With all three stars still in contention, every remaining match could have a major impact on the Golden Boot standings.
Mbappé has been in scintillating form for France, while Messi has once again inspired Argentina with a series of decisive performances. Haaland’s goals, meanwhile, have powered Norway’s historic run and established them as one of the surprise packages of the tournament.
With the knockout rounds becoming increasingly competitive, the margin for error is shrinking. Yet the battle among three of world football’s biggest stars promises to add another layer of intrigue to the World Cup, as each looks to finish not only with the trophy but also as the tournament’s leading scorer.