Erling Haaland joins elite World Cup group with Harry Kane but no Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappe

The superstars have arrived on the World Cup stage and records are tumbling.

But while Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe fight to be the greatest World Cup goalscorer in history, Erling Haaland has joined a group they will never be a part of.

Haaland has played his part in making the World Cup a truly star-studded spectacle with a pulsating Golden Boot race shaping upGetty

The talismanic Norway striker has scored multiple goals in his first two games at the greatest show on earth, netting twice in the 4-1 win over Iraq before bagging another brace in the 3-2 victory over Senegal.

Only six men in history have ever scored more than once in both of their opening two World Cup games and the most recent was England’s Harry Kane in 2018.

Before him, you have to go all the way back to when Poland’s Grzegorz Lato scored multiple goals in his first two World Cup matches in 1974.

That means not even Messi, Mbappe or Cristiano Ronaldo burst onto the World Cup scene like Haaland.

Players to score multiple goals in first two WC games

1930: Guillermo Stabile (Argentina)

1954: Sandor Kocsis (Hungary)

1958: Just Fontaine (France)

1974: Grzegorz Lato (Poland)

2018: Harry Kane (England)

2026: Erling Haaland (Norway)

The Manchester City sensation finds himself in a Golden Boot race for the ages alongside Argentina’s Messi, who has five already and even managed to miss a penalty, and France’s Mbappe, who is also on four.

Haaland and Mbappe will go head-to-head when Norway take on France to decide first place in Group I on Friday – live on talkSPORT.

Pound-for-pound star

Some would argue that Haaland’s breakout performance at this World Cup ranks above his superstar rivals – because he is doing it for Norway.

From an objective point of view, Messi and Mbappe are playing for the top two ranked teams in the world, who contested the most recent World Cup final.

England are also expected to challenge for the trophy with Kane leading the line, while there are high hopes for Portugal, despite Ronaldo’s slow start to the tournament.

Haaland is keeping pace in a team ranked 22nd in world football, competing at the World Cup for the first time since 1998.

Messi could have easily had two hat-tricks in his opening two matches but had to settle for five – making him the top goalscorer in World Cup historyGetty Mbappe has become the second top World Cup goalscorer in history and sits just two behind MessiGetty

With his double on Monday, the 25-year-old is already the top goalscorer in Norway’s World Cup history,

Haaland is far and away the most prolific player in his nation’s history, averaging more than a goal per game with 59 in 52 appearances.

Gab ranks

Aston Villa legend Gabby Agbonlahor was asked to rank Haaland, Kane, Messi and Mbappe on the talkSPORT Breakfast Show on Wednesday.

And Haaland only came out on top in one category…

Best finisher? Messi.

Best dribbler? Messi.

Biggest aura? Messi.

Best teammate? Messi.

Most valuable in terms of price? Haaland.

Who would you most want in an Aston Villa shirt? Messi.

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