He was born in the same city as Spice Girl Mel B, revolutionary chef Marco Pierre White and Harry Potter actor Matthew Lewis. The Football Association shot-callers knew it.
After seeing the Leeds native’s record-obliterating nine-goal haul for Norway in the FIFA U-20 World Cup™ in 2019, they approached Gareth Southgate. The man in the waistcoats and hot-seat also wanted Erling Haaland to commit his senior international future to England.
There was a problem. Haaland loved Leeds, but he loved Norway more. In April 2001, Alf Inge Haaland travelled to Oslo for an international friendly against Bulgaria and bought a gift for his son. Erling was wearing the red, Scandinavian cross-emblazoned jersey when he was merely nine months old.
He grew up in Bryne, by the resplendent shores of Lake Froylandsvatnet, from the age of three. His mother tongue was Norwegian, his friends were Norwegian, he loved animals, cabin culture and skiing like a Norwegian. “I always felt 100 per cent Norwegian,” stated Haaland.
“We’re always trying to monitor potential players, but in Haaland’s case he was quite clear that we wanted to play for Norway,” said Southgate. “He feels that allegiance to the country that he’d always represented. You have to respect that.”
Haaland had, consensually, gone with heart over his head. “I’m sure he’d score more goals for England, play in more major tournaments, have a chance at winning things, but that’s his choice,” said former Three Lions striker Ian Wright.
That may be incorrect – at least partially. Norway haven’t been to a major tournament since participating in a third in six years in 2000. That could be about to change, and it’s indebted to Haaland. The hulking 25-year-old hit a hat-trick against Israel in Oslo to consolidate their leadership of Group I in European qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 26™.
Furthermore, it made Haaland only the sixth footballer in history – and first in 53 years – to reach the half-century in fewer than 50 caps. The meditating Manchester City striker now has 51 goals in 46 games for Norway. He emulated Denmark’s Poul Nielsen (36 appearances), West Germany’s Gerd Muller (41), Hungary duo Ferenc Puskas (41) and Sandor Kocsis (42), and Brazil’s Pele (49).
And would he have scored more international goals with three lions on his crest? Since Haaland got his first goal for Norway in September 2020, Harry Kane, England’s No9, has netted 42 times in 64 appearances. During the same period, Robert Lewandowski managed 25 goals in 48 games, Romelu Lukaku 37 in 40, Kylian Mbappe 40 in 59, Cristiano Ronaldo 42 in 59, and Lionel Messi 44 in 56.
The fact Haaland has recorded such figures at the start of his career, when one is supposed to be evolving, is nothing short of extraordinary. After 46 caps, Messi had 13 goals and Ronaldo 17.
Curiously, on a day on which Haaland hit the half-century at otherworldly speed, his coach discovered he was from Earth. Daniel Peretz saved Haaland’s early penalty and, when a retake was ordered, repeated the feat. “I discovered that he’s from the same planet as the rest of us,” joked Stale Solbakken, who was part of the Norway engine room alongside Al Inge in the 1990s.
“There are no words to describe him,” said Norway assistant coach Kent Bergersen. “There are no words that can do him justice. He scores goals in every possible way.”
“You think you’ve seen everything, but he just gets better and better,” remarked Alexander Sorloth. “There’s nothing he can’t do. His statistics are unbelievable.”
Others will continue to rave about Haaland, and question which records he will steal. For how long will Zlatan Ibrahimovic rest on the throne as Scandinavia’s all-time goal king? For how long will Carlos Ruiz and Cristiano Ronaldo reign as World Cup qualifying’s record marksman? For how long will the latter remain international football’s top scorer?
Haaland, however, will focus on what most matters to him: helping Norway, the country that has been in his heart since he was born, on his body since he was nine months old, and on his résumé since he was a 13-year-old playing for the U-15s.
“All I care about is winning the next match,” said Haaland. “It’s all I cared about coming into this match, and it’s all I care about now.”
