Erling Haaland is a goal machine for the Norwegian national football team, recently scoring a hat-trick against Israel to keep the team at the top of their 2026 World Cup qualifying group.
Haaland and Norway can’t believe what they heard from their coach after the game
This makes the Manchester City superstar only the sixth player in history to score 50 international goals in less than 50 games, following legends such as Germany’s Gerd Muller, Brazil’s Pele and Hungary’s Ferenc Puskas. And Haaland did it faster than anyone else for more than half a century.
Erling scored 51 goals in just 46 games. To put this into perspective, at the same stage Argentina icon Lionel Messi scored 13 goals and Portugal’s eternal captain Cristiano Ronaldo scored 17.
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Haaland could have played for England too
However, the story could have been very different for Norway if Haaland had decided to play in England, the country of his birth. How did he decide to wear a Norway jersey instead of a Three Lions badge? The answer is as simple as it is surprising.
Haaland collides with Norwegian teammate during training
Haaland could have easily shouted “God Save the King” before scoring England’s goal. After all, he was born in Leeds. It’s the same city that gave us Spice Girl Mel B, celebrity chef Marco Pierre White, and even Neville Longbottom himself (yes, Harry Potter’s Matthew Lewis).
The English Football Association definitely took note of that golden birth certificate. After Haaland’s incredible nine-goal performance for Norway at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup (yes, nine in one game, that’s not a typo), England’s team chiefs thought, “We need this player.” They even contacted Gareth Southgate, the mastermind behind the vest-wearing, to see if they could persuade Haaland to wear the British shirt.
Erling’s heart was elsewhere.
However, there was a small problem. Haaland’s heart? 100% Norwegian. Back in April 2001, when his father Alfinge Haaland was playing for Norway, he gave baby Erling a present from an international friendly in Oslo, a little red jersey with the Norwegian flag on it. Haaland was only nine months old, but his fate was sealed from that moment on.
Growing up on the shores of the sparkling Lake Froilland in Bryn, Erling spoke Norwegian, hung out with Norwegian friends, skied, loved animals, and did all the classic Norwegian things: relaxing in cozy cabins. “I’ve always felt 100 percent Norwegian,” he once said.
Southgate, England’s best manager at the moment, also grinned as he admitted defeat. “He’s always felt a sense of loyalty to the country he’s represented and you have to respect that.”Of course, some England legends like Ian Wright couldn’t help but think, “Maybe he’ll score more goals for England, play more tournaments and maybe even win it.” Perhaps… But Haaland wasn’t chasing fame. He was tracing his roots.
It turns out that the decision could rewrite the history of Norwegian football. Teammates will call him unrealistic, coaches will call him unstoppable, and defenders will probably just call for backup. But what about Haaland? He keeps it simple. “All I care about is winning the next game,” he says.
