The Norway National Team completed a flawless qualifying campaign, winning all eight matches and securing their place at the FIFA World Cup 2026. Their dominance in Group I reached a peak against the supposed favourites, the Italy National Team, who lost both head-to-head matches by a shocking combined score of 1–7.

Before the final matchday, football analysts calculated that Italy needed to win by a nine-goal margin to leapfrog Norway in the standings. And when Pio Esposito opened the scoring in the 11th minute, social media instantly reacted with the predictable joke: “Only eight more to go!”

But what happened after the break stunned even the most optimistic Norwegian supporters. Rather than collapsing under the pressure of San Siro, the visitors staged a ruthless turnaround. Antonio Nusa equalised midway through the second half, silencing the stadium — but it was Erling Haaland who delivered the knockout blow. Two goals in just two minutes from Norway’s superstar striker left San Siro in pure disbelief and plunged Italy into another night of soul-searching.

The final score — 1–4 — is the kind of result that, in earlier eras, would have put any Italian national team manager under immediate threat. Yet Italy, despite the humiliation, still managed to finish inside the play-off positions. Head coach Gennaro Gattuso now faces an enormous task: restoring confidence and preparing a shaken squad for knockout football. Italy have failed to qualify for the last two World Cups, and their most recent appearance dates all the way back to 2014.

FIFA World Cup 2026, Qualifiers

Italy - Norway 1:4 (1:0)
Goals: Pio Esposito, 11 (1:0); Nusa, 63 (1:1); Håland E., 78 (1:2); Håland E., 79 (1:3); Strand Larsen, 93 (1:4)

Italy: Donnarumma G.; Dimarco; Bastoni (Ricci S., 86); Di Lorenzo; Mancini G.; Locatelli (Scamacca, 79); Politano; Frattesi (Cristante, 68); Barella (Buongiorno, 86); Retegui; Pio Esposito (Zaccagni, 79)
Substitution: Cristante (from 68); Zaccagni (from 79); Scamacca (from 79); Buongiorno (from 86); Ricci S. (from 86)
Bench: Carnesecchi; Vicario G.; Bellanova; Cambiaso А.; Gabbia; Raspadori; Orsolini
Yellow Cards: Barella 45; Bastoni 67; Pio Esposito 69

Norway: Nyland; Ajer; Wolfe (Ostigard, 89); Ryerson; Heggem; Berg P. (Thorsby, 64); Berge; Thorstvedt (Aasgaard T., 75); Sørloth (Bobb, 76); Håland E. (Strand Larsen, 89); Nusa
Substitution: Thorsby (from 64); Aasgaard T. (from 75); Bobb (from 76); Ostigard (from 89); Strand Larsen (from 89)
Bench: Dyngeland; Tangvik; Bjorkan; Holmgren Pedersen; Langås; Schjelderup; Arnstad
Yellow Cards: Håland E. 69