Erling Haaland had to be physically restrained by Gianluigi Donnarumma after a heated clash with Italy defender Gianluca Mancini, only to then humiliate his Manchester City teammate with two goals in the space of a minute as Norway stormed to a stunning 4–1 win at the San Siro.
The 25-year-old striker produced a ruthless second-half display to drive Norway to their first World Cup qualification since 1998, sealing a perfect qualifying campaign and confirming their spot at next summer’s finals in North America.
Norway arrived in Milan knowing that only a nine-goal defeat could deny them a place at the tournament, but they secured their passage in style after falling behind early on.
Italy struck first, raising hopes of a much-needed victory among the home fans.
But once Norway settled, the match quickly changed shape.
Haaland, Antonio Nusa and Jorgen Strand Larsen all found the net to overturn the deficit, leaving Italy’s World Cup dreams hanging by a thread.
The first-half had been tense, with Donnarumma and his back line repeatedly denying Norway’s relentless forward line.
The growing frustration erupted shortly before the break when Haaland and Mancini became embroiled in a fiery confrontation.
Erling Haaland erupted in anger as Norway beat Italy
|GETTY
The Roma defender appeared to square up to Haaland, prompting Donnarumma, towering above both men, to step in and physically separate them as words continued to fly.
After that, the brief flashpoint seemed to ignite something in Haaland.
Returning for the second half with renewed purpose, he delivered a devastating double blow that silenced the San Siro and left Italy reeling.
His first goal came via an explosive finish into the roof of the net after racing onto an Oscar Bobb pass.
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Finally! 🇳🇴 pic.twitter.com/bPsbyBC4fB
— Erling Haaland (@ErlingHaaland) November 16, 2025
Less than a minute later he struck again, this time a composed close range effort that left Donnarumma helpless and the home support stunned.
Those two strikes took Haaland’s qualifying tally to a staggering 16 goals in just eight matches, making him the leading scorer across all confederations in this World Cup cycle.
The Norwegian fans inside the stadium erupted as their star man wheeled away in celebration, knowing their long exile from the World Cup stage was finally ending.
Italy, who needed an almost impossible scoreline to overtake Norway, were left humiliated by their second half collapse.
The frustration only deepened when Wolves forward Strand Larsen added a fourth for Norway in stoppage time, prompting loud jeers from the home crowd.
For Haaland, qualification represents a milestone moment.
Erling Haaland scored twice as Norway thumped Italy at the San Siro
|GETTY
He will now follow in the footsteps of his father Alf Inge Haaland, who represented Norway at the 1994 World Cup in the United States.
The younger Haaland had spoken in the past about dreaming of leading Norway onto the world stage, and now that dream is reality.
Italy, meanwhile, face a far more precarious route.
Their defeat means they must navigate a playoff if they are to reach their first World Cup since 2014, a stark reminder of their recent struggles on the international stage.
Their fans watched in disbelief as another qualifying campaign unravelled, and all eyes will now be on whether they can salvage their hopes in the coming months.
As for Haaland, his dominance continues to grow. Restrained before half time, unstoppable after it, he once again proved why he is considered one of the most fearsome forwards in world football.