Erling Haaland is one of the biggest names in world football, but he will not feature at this summer’s European Championship.
Despite the Manchester City striker shattering goalscoring records since his arrival in England, he will not be able to add to his impressive numbers on the big stage at Euro 2024.
Haaland has been unable to guide Norway to a first major tournament since Euro 2000 Credit: Getty
Haaland registered an unprecedented 36-goal campaign as City lifted the Premier League last year, but he was unable to help Norway to secure qualification for Europe’s elite international tournament.
His national team finished third behind Spain and Scotland in their qualifying group, while results elsewhere denied them a play-off spot to keep their hopes alive.
This means that the Scandinavian country’s 24-year wait to feature at a major tournament continues, but things could have turned out very differently for the treble winner.
Could Erling Haaland have played for England?
Haaland was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, as his father and former professional footballer, Alfie Haaland, who also represented Norway internationally, was playing for Leeds United at the time.
This means that fans could have seen the Premier League top-scorer donning a Three Lions shirt, had he not pledged his allegiance to the country he moved to as a young child.
In an interview with GOAL, the 23-year-old said of his potential international career: “I lived here [England] for three-and-a-half-to-four years and I lived in Norway for such a long time, so then it was natural for me to choose Norway.
“You never know how it would be if maybe my father played longer in England or whatever. Maybe I would be English, I don’t know. But yeah, I’m Norwegian and I’m proud of it.”
England manager Gareth Southgate also confirmed in 2020 that the Norwegian star had always been committed to his current national side.
Haaland enjoyed a dream debut season in England, winning the Champions League to round off City’s treble-winning campaign Credit: Getty
Haaland will be one of the most high-profile players to be missing from Euro 2024, alongside Norway and Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard Credit: Getty
He said: “We’re always trying to monitor those cases, but I think in that instance he was tied up pretty early by Norway.
“And I think also, with players like him, they’re quite clear where they want to play as well.
“He feels that allegiance to the country that he’s playing for now and you’re always very respectful of that.”
While Haaland is clearly a proud Norwegian, he may well wonder what might have been when his English teammates, including Phil Foden, Kyle Walker and John Stones, head off to Germany in June.