The last time Norway competed at a World Cup, Erling Haaland was not even born. By helping to confirm their place in the tournament for the first time since 1998, Haaland has not just chalked off a personal milestone; he has completed a mission he has carried on his shoulders for years.
Hopes of the Scandinavian nation ending their 28-year World Cup absence rested on the 25-year-old long before he fired in 16 goals across eight matches in a dominant qualifying campaign. And that was considered the case even before he became the fearsome Manchester City striker he is today.
“Erling Haaland has guided Norway to their first World Cup since 1998, scoring 16 goals in qualifying.”
Those hopes for Haaland can probably be traced back to when, in his early teens, his talent was spotted at Norwegian side Bryne and fast-tracked through their youth teams. The talent grew and promise intensified during a club career carefully crafted to suit Haaland and now, having won everything there is to win in club football with City, he is fulfilling his destiny for the national team too.
Born in Yorkshire, the forward was eligible to play for England. But affinity with his home country meant there was little chance of that happening, even if it meant the chances of winning something at international level, or even regularly reaching tournaments, were slim. When England's manager at the time, Gareth Southgate, was asked in 2020 whether there was ever a possibility of Haaland playing for the Three Lions, he shut it down pretty quickly. "With players like him, they're quite clear where they want to play," Southgate said. "He feels that allegiance to the country that 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 Bryne in Norway three years later following Alf-Inge's retirement through injury, which ended a spell at Manchester City. The young Haaland's talent was spotted early and he quickly moved through the youth teams at Bryne before being taken on by Molde in 2017, joining a club then managed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Solskjaer helped to turn Haaland into the attacking force he is today and has often spoken highly of his former player, expressing regret that he could not bring him to Old Trafford when he became manager at Manchester United. The young forward began to draw attention during his time at Red Bull Salzburg before a spell at Borussia Dortmund really announced him on the world stage. Erling Haaland's move to Manchester City came in 2022.
Now, with 55 goals in 49 matches for his country, Haaland has done what no Norwegian since 1998 could: take his nation back to the World Cup. For a country of just 5.5 million people, he is not just a superstar; he is the embodiment of a dream deferred for 28 years.