Recently, rumors have been circulating in the media regarding a possible transfer of Erling Haaland, a talented Norwegian player who made a name for himself playing for RB Salzburg and later Borussia Dortmund. It seems that no decision has been made yet, but let's find out more about this new fan favorite! Enjoy reading.
Faith 1 : The striker's historical homeland is Norway, but Erling actually spent his early years elsewhere! Indeed, the footballer was born in the English city of Leeds, and it was only in 2003 that his family settled permanently in Scandinavia.
Faith 2 : You may remember the horrific incident in April 2001 when Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane inflicted a serious knee injury on a player during a derby match. Well, that player was Erling Haaland's father! Alf-Inge, by the way, played three seasons for the "Red Devils" and of course had the opportunity to represent Erling's hometown "Leeds United".
Faith 3 : Let's delve a little deeper into the footballer's father. At the age of 30, he unexpectedly ended his career, citing the injuries he suffered. Following this announcement, many speculated about the collision with Keane, assuming that the Irishman had ruined the City defender's career. I must point out that this assumption is incorrect and you can find more details about it in the player's profile. The decision to retire is certainly linked to this derby, but it is not the main or only reason.
Faith 4 : Haaland holds the world record for long jump in the 5-year-old category! His feat of 160+ cm has been verified by a website that collects similar statistics. See the attached screenshot for confirmation.
Faith 5 : Durant son adolescence, Erling Haaland was incredibly small and his youth team coach was even concerned that Erling would never grow tall enough to play effectively with his head, potentially losing that aspect of the game. However, over time, the youngster grew so quickly that his training schedule had to be cut back significantly to avoid injuries. Just for the record, he now stands at 194 centimetres.
Faith 6 : Before joining the football academy, the Norwegian had more than just football as a passion! In addition to football, he was involved in activities such as golf, handball, athletics and many others. This diversity of interests can explain his versatility, agility and physical strength on the pitch.
Faith 7 : From 2017 to 2019, Haaland played for the Norwegian club "Molde", which was then coached by the famous Ole Gunnar Solskjær! The latter played an important role in the player's development, in particular by contributing to muscle mass gain and nutritional stabilization.