When then England manager Gareth Southgate was asked in 2020 whether there was a chance Haaland might have played for the Three Lions, he shut it down 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 still based, having just left Leeds United for Manchester City – in 2000.
The family moved to Bryne in Norway three years later following his father’s retirement through injury.
The young Haaland’s talent was spotted early and he quickly moved through the youth teams at Bryne before signing for Molde in 2017, managed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
He helped turn Haaland into an attacking force and has often spoken highly of his former player, expressing regret that he could not sign him when he became manager at Manchester United.
The young forward caught the eye during his time at Red Bull Salzburg before his spell at Borussia Dortmund – where he formed a close friendship with England’s Jude Bellingham – really announced him on the world stage.
His move to Manchester City came in 2022 – a transfer many felt had been inevitable given his father’s history and his own love of English football.
Yet even with his rapid ascension to stardom, Haaland continues to return to Norway frequently where he owns several properties.
“Despite Haaland’s global superstar status, he remains the exact same guy,” Norwegian football journalist Andreas Korssund told BBC Sport.
“He knows exactly where he comes from and regularly visits his small hometown 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 can frequently be spotted strolling around Oslo, where he owns an apartment.
He has leaned into Norway’s Viking history and is fiercely proud of representing his country, as illustrated by leading his team-mates in the Viking Row after beating Brazil.
It is that affinity with his heritage that has also led to him sporting his full title of Braut Haaland on the back of his national shirt – Braut is his mother’s maiden name and combining that with his father’s name is a Norwegian tradition.
“Haaland means everything to Norway,” says Korssund.
“He has become an unprecedented superstar in the world’s biggest sport. For a nation of just over 5.5 million people to produce one of the absolute greatest footballers on the planet is immense.”
