With his exceptional performances, achieving 52 goals in 53 games in the 31st season of the Premier League, Erling Haaland is on his way to becoming the best player in the world. The 22-year-old Manchester City striker has broken the record for most goals in one season so he continues to solidify his status and captivate audiences worldwide with his skills. What are things you need to know about the Norwegian goal machine?
The young football legend has a very strong family background in the world of sports. His father Alf-Inge Haaland is recognised as a professional footballer while his mother Gry Marita Braut is a national champion in heptathlete.
His father also played as a midfielder in popular English clubs like Manchester City and Leeds United. Haaland Sr. was unforgettable for a history of clashes on the field with the former player Roy Keane in 2001.
His abilities can be attributed to his strong sports background because his grandfather was also a professional athlete who is a well-known long-distance runner in Norway.
The football legend had the possibility of becoming a professional handball player because by 14 he already had a taste of handball.
Premier League Golden Boot winner trained and engaged in multiple sports so it is not surprising when he set his first world record at the age of five.
Erling Haaland was born on 21 July 2000 in Bryne, Norway, and played for his hometown club Bryne FK in Norway. He spent his childhood there and quickly caught attention when he scored four goals in his very first match.
Erling Haaland was remarkable on his arrival at Signal Iduna Park, scoring three goals on his debut against FC Augsburg. Since then, the top goalscorer has steadily progressed, making himself one of the top current footballers.
While Erling Haaland was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, he opted to play for Norway as he spent most of his youth there. Despite being eligible to play for England, the golden boy made the decision to represent Norway.
The Norwegian football legend considers Cristiano Ronaldoas his idol, but the Swedish football star Zlatan Ibrahimović's name frequently emerges, due to his excellent technique and ball control.
The young Manchester City striker was nicknamed ‘Manchild’ by his teammates when he played for Molde's youth team because of his physical presence, standing an imposing 6'4" tall.
The Norwegian footballer’s journey to becoming a household name wasn't immediate despite his passion for football from a very young age. Actually, when he was 15, he made his debut for the senior team when his team lost against KFUM Oslo in front of a crowd of 1,649.
Haaland is a prolific scorer and he made a name for himself when he scored nine in one game during a match against Honduras in the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Erling Haaland’s alarm tone is the iconic Champions League anthem. In an interview with TV2 during his time at Salzburg, he revealed that he woke up to this alarm every day so he always got a perfect start to the day.
Similar to most athletes, Man City’s superstar maintains his superior physical condition through an amount of nutritious food. He follows the Portuguese football legend CR7 diet when he eats the same food as him, including chicken, pasta, and fish without salt or sauce.
His acceleration and pace on the field are impressive at a speed of more than 35 km/h. For example, in a game against PSG in 2020, the machine Haaland was fast enough to exceed the necessary threshold to qualify for the 60 m at the World Athletics Championships.
Haaland became the first teenager to score in five consecutive Champions League matches. He also scored 20 goals in only 14 games, becoming the fastest and youngest to achieve it.
Another interesting fact about the Norwegian football star is his five goals in a single game. During the UEFA Champions League, his club Manchester City beat RB Leipzig 7-0, making him the third player in history to accomplish the feat after Lionel Messi and Luiz Adriano.
Erling Haaland breaks records by becoming the youngest and fastest player to hit the 30-goal mark in the Champions League.
In a recent interview with Premier League Productions, the Manchester City striker revealed that he went to bed with five match balls while playing for Red Salzburg. He added that he loved to hold them, caress them, and sleep with them.
