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When England manager Gareth Southgate was asked in 2020 if Haaland was a possibility to play for the Three Lions, he was quick to dismiss it.
“With players like him, it’s pretty clear where they want to play,” Southgate said. “He feels loyalty to the country he’s playing for now and you’re always very respectful of that.”
Haaland was born in Leeds – where his father Alf-Inge was playing at the time – in 2000.
The family moved to Bryn, Norway three years later following Alf-Inge’s retirement due to injury, ending a spell at Manchester City.
Young Haaland’s talent was spotted early and he quickly moved through the youth teams at Bryn before joining Molde in 2017, then joining a club managed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Solskjaer helped mold Haaland into the attacking force he is today and has often spoken highly of his former player, lamenting that he was unable to bring him to Old Trafford when he was manager of Manchester United.
The young forward began attracting attention while at Red Bull Salzburg before a spell at Borussia Dortmund heralded him on the world stage.
Erling Haaland’s move to Manchester City came in 2022 – many felt it was inevitable given his father’s history with the club and his own love of English football.
Through all the ups and downs, drama and success of his life, Haaland has felt drawn to home, often returning to his home country where he owns several properties.
“Despite Haaland’s global superstar status, he remains exactly the same guy,” Norwegian football journalist Andreas Korsund told BBC Sport.
“He knows where he comes from and regularly visits his small town in Rogaland. He is incredibly proud of his roots and always makes himself available to the Norwegian press when representing his country.”
Haaland has discussed his desire to run a farm in his home country when he retires and is often seen traveling around Oslo, where he has an apartment.
he has Norway is steeped in Viking history And very proud to represent his country.
It is this affinity with his heritage that has led him to sport the full surname of Braut Haaland on the back of his national shirt – Braut being his mother’s maiden name and combining it with his father’s is a common Norwegian tradition.
“Haaland means everything to Norway,” says Korsund.
“He has become an unprecedented superstar in the world’s biggest game. For a nation of just over 5.5 million people to produce one of the greatest footballers on the planet is huge.”
