46 Fun Facts About Erling Haaland

In which city was Haaland born?

Leeds, where his father Alf-Inge was playing for Leeds United, so Haaland grew up a Leeds fan.

To which Norwegian town did Haaland's family move when he was three?

Bryne, where he failed to score in 16 senior games before Molde signed him.

In which event did Haaland's mother, Gry Marita Braut, compete as an elite athlete?

Heptathlon. At the 2026 World Cup her son wore 'Braut Haaland' on his Norway shirt, adding her surname to his father's.

Which Manchester United midfielder was sent off for a 2001 tackle on Haaland's father, Alf-Inge?

Roy Keane, whose autobiography later described the tackle as deliberate, bringing a further five-match ban and a £150,000 fine.

Which former Manchester United player managed Haaland at Molde?

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, whose Manchester United side later chased Haaland too, only for him to choose Borussia Dortmund.

Against which league leaders did Haaland score four first-half goals for Molde in 2018?

Brann were beaten 4-0 with a Manchester United scout watching, and Molde revealed clubs had bid for him.

Which club did Haaland join from Molde on 1 January 2019?

Red Bull Salzburg, where his 28 goals in 22 games of 2019-20 had Europe's leading clubs chasing him by December.

Against whom did Haaland score a first-half hat-trick on his Champions League debut?

Genk were beaten 6-2, yet his side still finished third in their group and dropped into the Europa League.

At which stadium did Haaland score in 2019, matching a goal his father Alf-Inge had scored there?

Anfield, where his equaliser made it 3-3 before Liverpool snatched a 4-3 win.

Which super-agent represented Haaland during his Borussia Dortmund years?

Mino Raiola, who died during talks on Haaland's move to City, after which his associate Rafaela Pimenta took over as agent.

Against which club did Haaland come off the bench to score a hat-trick on his Dortmund debut?

Augsburg led 3-1 when he came on in the 56th minute, and Dortmund went on to win 5-3.

Before Haaland, which striker had scored a hat-trick on his Bundesliga debut for Dortmund?

Aubameyang, who a year later marked a Supercup goal against Bayern by pulling on a Spider-Man mask.

Which trophy did Haaland win with Dortmund in May 2021, scoring twice in the final?

DFB-Pokal, won 4-1 weeks after his future club Manchester City had knocked Dortmund out of the Champions League.

Which Spanish club did Haaland knock out of the Champions League in 2021?

Sevilla; a solo goal was ruled out, but VAR gave him a penalty that he scored only when it was retaken, in a 5-4 aggregate win.

At which American stadium did Haaland score on his first City appearance, a friendly?

He got the only goal against Bayern Munich in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Against whom did Haaland score twice on his Premier League debut?

West Ham United, where he won and scored a penalty for his first goal before adding a second.

Which team-mate matched Haaland's hat-trick in the 2022 Manchester derby?

Phil Foden, whose last two goals were set up by Haaland on the day he completed a third straight home hat-trick.

The players of which club mocked Haaland's trademark goal celebration after knocking Dortmund out in 2020?

Paris Saint-Germain, whose Neymar copied the celebration after scoring in the 2-0 win that sent Dortmund out.

Against whom did Haaland score five in a 7-0 Champions League win in March 2023?

RB Leipzig were beaten 7-0, sending City into the quarter-finals of the Champions League they went on to win.

Whose 1928-29 City club record of 38 goals in a season did Haaland break?

Tommy Johnson, whom City sold to Everton in 1930, and who then beat City in the 1933 FA Cup final.

Haaland's 35th league goal of 2022-23 broke the record held by Andy Cole and whom?

Alan Shearer, whose 34 goals in 1994-95 helped Blackburn Rovers win the league title.

Haaland's 44 league goals plus assists in 2022-23 matched whose 38-game record?

Thierry Henry, whose 24 goals and 20 assists in 2002-03 still left him one goal short of the Golden Boot.

Whom did City beat 1-0 in the 2023 Champions League final to complete the treble?

Inter Milan, beaten by Rodri's goal after City had lost Kevin De Bruyne to injury in the first half.

Whose record did Haaland break for fastest to 100 goals in Europe's top five leagues?

103 appearances against the Brazilian's 133.

Which award for most goals for club and country in a season did Haaland receive in 2023?

Gerd Muller Trophy, for 56 goals, one more than Kylian Mbappé, yet Lionel Messi beat him to the Ballon d'Or itself.

Against which club did Haaland score five in a 6-2 FA Cup win in February 2024?

Luton Town were beaten 6-2, with Kevin De Bruyne setting up Haaland's first four goals.

Which Chelsea player finished runner-up to Haaland for the 2023-24 Golden Boot?

Cole Palmer, who scored 22 in his first season after leaving Manchester City, five fewer than Haaland.

Haaland's 300th goal came in a 5-2 Club World Cup win over which club?

Juventus were beaten 5-2, yet days later City went out of the Club World Cup, losing 4-3 to Al-Hilal.

Which Manchester City captain left Haaland's side on loan for AC Milan in January 2025?

Kyle Walker, who had asked to leave, joined Milan with an option to buy.

To whom did Haaland hand the penalty that was saved in the 2025 FA Cup final?

Omar Marmoush had it saved by Dean Henderson, and Crystal Palace held on to win their first major trophy.

Which two players outscored Haaland in the 2024-25 Premier League?

Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak; Salah's 29 goals won the Golden Boot, ending Haaland's two-season hold on it.

Haaland's 100th Premier League goal came in a 5-4 win at which club?

Fulham, who hit back from 5-1 down to lose only 5-4 in a nine-goal thriller.

Against which team did Haaland score nine goals in one U-20 World Cup match?

Honduras were beaten 12-0, and he won the Golden Boot despite scoring in no other game at the tournament.

Whose record, set before World War II, did Haaland break to become Norway's all-time top scorer?

Jorgen Juve, who captained the Norway side that knocked hosts Germany out of the 1936 Olympics, with Hitler watching.

Against which team did Haaland score five goals in an 11-1 World Cup qualifier?

Moldova were beaten 11-1 in Oslo, in a qualifier moved back a day because of Norway's parliamentary election.

Against which country did a 2025 Haaland hat-trick bring up his 50th international goal?

Israel were beaten 5-0 in Oslo; the war in Gaza had forced them to play their own home qualifiers on neutral ground.

Which country did Norway beat 4-1 to seal Haaland's first World Cup?

Italy, whom Norway had also beaten 3-0 in June, and the defeat sent the Italians into the play-offs.

Haaland's 2026 World Cup round-of-32 winner beat which country?

Ivory Coast, and he celebrated the winner near Dallas in new cowboy boots and a hat.

Against which team did Haaland make his World Cup debut with two goals in a 4-1 win?

Iraq were beaten 4-1, and two more Haaland goals against Senegal then took Norway into the knockouts.

Whom did Norway beat 2-1 to reach a first World Cup quarter-final, with two Haaland goals?

Brazil were beaten 2-1, and Neymar, who scored their late penalty, then retired from international football.

Who knocked Norway out 2-1 in the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals?

England won 2-1 after extra time, with Jude Bellingham cancelling out Andreas Schjelderup's opener and then scoring the winner.

Which pose does Haaland strike in his trademark goal celebration?

The lotus position; he says meditating keeps him calm, and the pose made it into the FIFA video games.

What was the title of the 2016 rap single Haaland released with Flow Kingz?

Kygo Jo, which he rapped as 'Lyng' with two Norway youth team-mates; in 2026 DJ Kygo's remix topped the Norwegian chart.

On which platform did Haaland post in 2024 that he had 'raw-dogged' a seven-hour flight?

Instagram, where he boasted of 'no phone, no sleep, no water, no food' and called the flight 'easy'.

Whose 1594 sagas of Norse kings did Haaland buy for a Norwegian record at auction?

Snorri Sturluson's, and Haaland donated the book to his hometown for public display.

In which animated film was Haaland cast to voice a Viking who shares his name?

ViQueens, whose director Harald Zwart cast him as himself because Haaland already seemed a real-life Viking.