Why Erling Haaland plays for Norway instead of England despite UK birthplace

Why Erling Haaland plays for Norway instead of England despite UK birthplace originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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By now, virtually every person who has tuned into the 2026 World Cup has seen Erling Haaland on their screen. People know he scores goals, lots of them at that, but what they might not know is that he was actually born in England.

While his father played in the English Premier League, his wife gave birth to the future forward, so Haaland was born in Leeds. When he was three, however, he relocated north and has since called Norway his home.

Here’s why Norway’s World Cup star opted to play for them versus England.

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Why does Erling Haaland play for Norway?

Although Haaland was born in Leeds, England, in 2000, the star plays for Norway internationally. He is able to do so because he is a Norwegian citizen, along with his mother and father.

Haaland moved to Bryne, Norway, when he was three years old and remained there until his club soccer career began to flourish. Now, the striker resides around the Manchester, England, area during the English Premier League season.

The choice to play for his fatherland has emerged as a great one for Haaland. In 54 caps for Norway prior to the country’s first World Cup quarterfinal match in its history, Haaland has scored 62 goals (1.1 goals per match)

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Where is Erling Haaland from?

Haaland was born in Leeds, England, on July 21, 2000, according to his Transfermarkt page. The future Norwegian star’s father, Alfie, played for Leeds United during his time in the English Premier League before he transferred to Manchester City a month before his son was born.

When did Erling Haaland move to Norway?

Haaland moved to Norway when he was only three years old. According to the BBC, the future forward and his family relocated to Bryne, Norway, after his father retired from his soccer career.

“That part of Norway gets quite a lot of rain,” says Norwegian journalist Nils Henrik Smith, per the BBC, who grew up in Bryne and had Haaland’s father as his PE teacher.

“But around the time the Haalands moved there, the local football team built a new indoor hall, so it made it easier for kids to play football all year round.”