The boy who slept with balls now dreams of a World Cup Golden Ball

Erling Haaland propelled Norway into the World Cup quarterfinals with a decisive two-goal performance against Brazil, securing a 2-1 victory. Following the win, Haaland provided one of the tournament's memorable moments, taking drumsticks to lead his teammates and fans in their celebratory "rowing" chant.

Haaland, who is currently tied for the tournament's top scorer with seven goals alongside Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé, was born in Leeds, England, while his father, Alf-Inge Haaland, played for Leeds United. Despite holding British citizenship and joking about his British accent, Haaland's heart has always been with Norway. His family returned to their hometown of Bryne when he was three, where he began honing his skills on local fields.

Before dedicating himself to football, Haaland was a gifted athlete in handball, golf, and track and field. At age five, he set an unofficial world record for his age group in the standing long jump, covering 1.63 meters. He joined the Bryne FK academy at five and by 15 was scoring prolifically for their reserve team. His talent quickly led him to Molde in Norway's top flight, and then to Red Bull Salzburg in January 2019. His Champions League debut that September saw him score a hat-trick in the first half, becoming the first player to achieve this feat. He continued his scoring streak, netting in five consecutive Champions League matches, a record for a teenager.

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Because I am British.