"One could not have done better than what was done" — perhaps that is the most fitting phrase to describe what the Iraqi national team produced against their Norwegian counterparts in a match that saw the "Viking descendants" overcome the "Lions of Mesopotamia" in both sides' opening appearance at the 2026 World Cup.
Iraq delivered a contrasting performance across the two halves: after showing courage in the first half and holding their own against Norway, they disappointed in the second, ultimately suffering a heavy defeat that laid bare the gap still separating nations returning after long absences from the quality and experienced European sides.
In the first half, Iraq imposed a clear identity and competed on level terms with Norway despite the individual quality gap. Their players succeeded in compressing space, matching the physical tempo, and launching organised attacks that carried genuine ambition — so much so that the team looked capable of reaching half-time with a different scoreline, or at least preserving the draw they had earned following Ayman Hussein's goal.
Ayman Hussein demonstrated enormous value beyond merely scoring a historic goal in Iraq's first World Cup appearance in 40 years. He instilled confidence in his teammates and proved that the side possesses attacking solutions and the ability to threaten opponents when the quality of the final pass is there.
Yet the real differences emerged as time wore on. Norway harnessed their technical and physical qualities superbly, exploiting their height advantage and aerial strength, and it was no coincidence that three of the four goals came from crosses — that proved to be the decisive factor that gave the Norwegian side their commanding margin of victory.
Erling Haaland, who claimed the Player of the Match award, embodied the difference between a good striker and a world-class one. He did not need a large number of touches to leave his mark; instead he punished any lapse in concentration, pressed relentlessly on the defensive line, and imposed his physical and psychological superiority on Iraq's defenders.
That was evident in Haaland's second goal, which came after a shared error between a defender and the goalkeeper, directly caused by the Norwegian striker's pressure.
Iraq's rhythm declined gradually in the second half, despite an acceptable opening few minutes. The enormous physical effort expended in the first half affected the players' ability to maintain the same organisational discipline, while Norway grew increasingly confident and dominant until they had taken full control in the final 30 minutes of the match, adding the third and fourth goals in identical fashion by exploiting their height and physical strength.
Despite the heavy scoreline, it would be unfair to be too harsh on the Iraqi players, who made a creditable return to the World Cup after all those years of absence. However, there is clear work to be done in correcting mistakes before two extremely demanding fixtures against France, the World Cup runners-up, and Senegal, the powerful African side.