World Cup
Haaland Threat Looms As Côte d’Ivoire Chase Historic World Cup Breakthrough
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Côte d’Ivoire will attempt to reach uncharted territory at the FIFA World Cup 2026 when they face Norway in a Round of 32 clash at Dallas Stadium, with both nations seeking a place in the last 16.
The encounter marks a historic first meeting between the two countries, who have never previously met in either World Cup or senior international football.
For the Ivorians, the match represents a landmark occasion as they prepare for their maiden appearance in the knockout phase of the global tournament.
Emerse Faé’s side secured second place in Group E after defeating Ecuador 1-0 and Curaçao 2-0, with their only setback coming in a narrow 2-1 loss to group winners Germany.
Nicolas Pépé was the hero in their decisive victory over Curaçao, scoring both goals to send Les Éléphants into the knockout rounds for the first time in their history.
The West Africans have already rewritten several records in the United States, Canada and Mexico. This is the first World Cup in which Côte d’Ivoire have won two matches, while they have now scored in eight consecutive World Cup games – the longest scoring streak in the nation’s history.
Having found the net in 11 of their 12 World Cup matches overall, the three-time African champions have demonstrated an attacking consistency that could prove crucial against a dangerous Norwegian side.
Norway arrive in Dallas determined to claim their first-ever World Cup knockout victory. Although they reached the Round of 16 in 1998, the Scandinavians have never won a knockout match at the tournament, having previously suffered eliminations against Italy in both 1938 and 1998.
Ståle Solbakken’s men qualified from Group I after impressive victories over Iraq (4-1) and Senegal (3-2). Their final group match ended in a 4-1 defeat to France, but qualification had already been secured, prompting the Norwegian coach to rotate several key players.
The Norwegians remain one of the tournament’s most potent attacking teams, having scored in the first half of all three group-stage matches.
Much of their threat centres around Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, who continues to shatter records for club and country. The prolific forward scored braces against both Iraq and Senegal, becoming only the sixth player in World Cup history to score two or more goals in each of his first two appearances in the competition.
He joined an exclusive list featuring Argentina’s Guillermo Stábile, Hungary’s Sándor Kocsis, France’s Just Fontaine, Poland’s Grzegorz Lato and England’s Harry Kane.
Haaland’s international form is equally remarkable. The striker has scored in each of his last 12 competitive matches for Norway, netting 24 goals during that sequence. Overall, he has amassed 59 goals in just 52 international appearances and has scored against 25 different nations.
Côte d’Ivoire will be encouraged by their habit of starting strongly. Faé’s team opened the scoring in all three of their group matches and will hope to seize the initiative again against a Norwegian defence that conceded four goals to France in its last outing.
The match will also feature several intriguing club connections. Côte d’Ivoire winger Yan Diomande and Norway attacker Antonio Nusa were teammates at RB Leipzig last season, while Ivorian forward Evann Guessand and Norwegian striker Jørgen Strand Larsen played together at Crystal Palace during the second half of the 2025-26 Premier League campaign.
With history beckoning for both nations, the stakes could hardly be higher. Côte d’Ivoire are aiming to extend a dream run in their first World Cup knockout appearance, while Norway hope Haaland’s goals can propel them to a long-awaited breakthrough beyond the Round of 32.
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BY KUNLE SOLAJA, METLIFE STADIUM, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY
Two familiar European rivals will break new ground when France and Sweden meet in the Round of 32 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 at New York New Jersey Stadium this Tuesday.
Despite a rich history spanning 23 previous international encounters and a combined 130 FIFA World Cup matches between them, this will be the first time the two nations have faced each other on football’s biggest stage.
France arrive as one of the tournament’s form teams after completing a flawless Group I campaign. Didier Deschamps’ side opened with a commanding 3-1 victory over Senegal before defeating Iraq 3-0 and crushing Norway 4-1 to finish with a perfect nine-point haul.
The French were particularly impressive in their final group outing, where Ousmane Dembélé produced the second-fastest hat-trick in World Cup history before Désiré Doué added a late fourth goal to underline Les Bleus’ title credentials.
Sweden’s route to the knockout phase was more dramatic. The Scandinavians secured qualification as one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams after Anthony Elanga’s equaliser earned a crucial 1-1 draw against Japan. Earlier, they opened their campaign with a resounding 5-1 victory over Tunisia before suffering a heavy 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands.
While France are seeking to maintain their momentum towards a third World Cup crown, Sweden will be aiming to extend an impressive record that has seen them reach the knockout phase in each of their last five World Cup appearances.
France’s Ruthless Form
Les Bleus have looked every inch genuine contenders during the group stage.
The 2018 champions have now won 12 of their last 14 international matches and 14 of their last 17 World Cup games. Their current run of scoring three or more goals in four consecutive World Cup matches is the best attacking sequence in the nation’s history.
France have also developed a formidable habit of overcoming European opposition on the global stage, winning each of their last six World Cup meetings against teams from the continent.
Their group-stage dominance mirrors only one previous occasion in French football history. The last time France won all three opening-round matches at a World Cup was in 1998—a tournament they eventually won on home soil.
Experience could also prove decisive. France have emerged victorious in 16 of their last 19 World Cup knockout matches, highlighting their pedigree when the pressure intensifies.
Mbappé Chasing More History
As always, much of France’s attacking threat revolves around captain Kylian Mbappé.
The forward has already scored braces against both Senegal and Iraq and boasts an extraordinary record of eight goals in eight World Cup knockout-stage appearances.
Interestingly, Sweden are among the 30 nations Mbappé has scored against for France. He netted the winner in a UEFA Nations League clash in Stockholm in September 2020 before helping Les Bleus secure a 4-2 victory in the reverse fixture later that year.
Coach Didier Deschamps will also take confidence from his own record against the Scandinavians, having overseen four victories in five meetings with Sweden.
Sweden Seeking Another Giant-Killing Act
Although France enter as favourites, Sweden have built a reputation for thriving as underdogs on the world stage.
The Swedes have progressed beyond the group phase in each of their last five World Cup campaigns and have won five of their nine knockout matches against fellow European nations.
Much of their hope rests on the shoulders of Anthony Elanga, who has become the first Swedish player since Kennet Andersson at USA 1994 to score in successive World Cup matches.
The Nottingham Forest winger’s strike against Japan not only secured qualification but also reinforced his growing importance to the Swedish attack.
Sweden will also rely heavily on the goals of Viktor Gyökeres and Alexander Isak, both of whom possess the pace and movement capable of troubling even the most accomplished defences.
Familiar Faces Across Club Football
The match features several intriguing club connections.
France defender William Saliba and Sweden striker Viktor Gyökeres recently celebrated Premier League success together at Arsenal.
French centre-back Ibrahima Konaté and Swedish forward Alexander Isak are teammates at Liverpool, while France full-back Lucas Digne and Sweden captain Victor Lindelöf helped Aston Villa lift the UEFA Europa League last season.
Those relationships could add an extra layer of intrigue as familiar club colleagues become opponents on the World Cup stage.
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A victory for Côte d’Ivoire over Norway would see the Elephants join Morocco in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16, marking only the second time in World Cup history that two African nations have reached that stage of the competition.
The only previous occasion came at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, when both Nigeria and Algeria advanced to the Round of 16. On that occasion, however, both African representatives were eliminated by European opponents, with France defeating Nigeria and Germany overcoming Algeria.
World Cup 2026 has already produced a different narrative. Morocco have broken the European barrier by eliminating the Netherlands in the Round of 32, and Côte d’Ivoire now have the opportunity to continue that trend by knocking out Norway and ensuring Africa has two representatives in the last 16.
Match Facts
- Fixture: Côte d’Ivoire vs Norway
- Venue: Dallas Stadium
- Stage: FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32
- Previous Meetings: None
- Côte d’Ivoire Group Record: Won 2, Lost 1
- Norway Group Record: Won 2, Lost 1
- Key Man (Côte d’Ivoire): Nicolas Pépé (scored both goals in the decisive 2-0 win over Curaçao)
- Key Man (Norway): Erling Haaland (four goals at FIFA World Cup 2026)
- Historic Milestone: Côte d’Ivoire are featuring in their first-ever World Cup knockout match
- Record Watch: Haaland has scored in each of his last 12 competitive international matches for Norway, netting 24 goals during that remarkable run.
With history within reach for Côte d’Ivoire and one of the world’s most prolific strikers leading Norway’s challenge, Dallas Stadium is set for a compelling battle for a place in the Round of 16.
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- Mexico have won all three matches at the FIFA World Cup 2026 without conceding a goal.
- Ecuador qualified as one of the best third-placed teams after defeating Germany 2-1.
- Mexico’s only World Cup victory over South American opposition came against Ecuador in 2002.
- Javier Aguirre coached Mexico in that 2-1 victory and is again in charge in 2026.
- El Tri are on a record four-match World Cup winning streak.
- Mexico have kept clean sheets in their last six World Cup matches played on home soil.
- Ecuador are appearing in the knockout stage for only the second time in their history.
- Sebastián Beccacece’s side have conceded just three goals in their last 14 competitive matches.
- Guillermo Ochoa holds the record for the most World Cup appearances by a Concacaf goalkeeper.
- Santiago Giménez and Pervis Estupiñán are teammates at AC Milan.
With history, home support and momentum on their side, Mexico will start as slight favourites. However, Ecuador’s resilience and recent comeback heroics against Germany suggest this Round of 32 showdown could be one of the most competitive knockout fixtures of the tournament.
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