How Erling Haaland's summer of yachting and wood-chopping led to Man City goal-machine's lightning-quick start to the Premier League season
Getty The Norwegian is in his most frightening vein of form yet – and it's all down to having a rare extended holiday
Erling Haaland was back in Norway this week and back amongst the goals. While the striker has already won every trophy imaginable with Manchester City, his international career has been one of great frustration.
It has not been for lack of trying on his part, as he has scored a remarkable 32 times in 35 appearances, but he has been let down by the overall quality of his team-mates, with the exception of Martin Odegaard and Alexander Sorloth. Norway have failed to qualify for a major tournament since Euro 2000 and couldn't even make the play-offs to qualify for Euro 2024 or the 2022 World Cup.
More misery followed in the Nations League last week as Norway drew 0-0 away to Kazakhstan, but, back on home turf on Tuesday, Haaland fired his nation to victory against Austria, the most fashionable team at the Euros.
At first there was a familiar feeling of frustration when Haaland slammed the ball into the net as he looked across and saw the offside flag was up. The frustration soon turned to elation, however, after a VAR review ruled the goal onside. Norway held on to win a first competitive match at home for almost a year and the joy of leading his national team to an important win can only further lift Haaland's mood as he prepares to resume the Premier League season with City at home to Brentford on Saturday.
Not that he needed a lift, as he is already in truly ferocious form, with seven goals in three games. And it is all thanks to him having a proper summer holiday, most of which was spent back in his homeland.
