Erling Haaland has left the Norway national team camp just hours before their friendly match against New Zealand, the Norwegian FA confirmed. The Manchester City striker, who scored a hat-trick against Israel in their last match, will play no part in Tuesday’s clash after being granted early release to return to his club ahead of a tight Premier League schedule.
In an official statement, the Norwegian FA said: “Players with particularly tight match schedules are returning home: Alexander Sorloth, Julian Ryerson, Erling Braut Haaland and Fredrik Bjorkan. Felix Horn Myhre is leaving the squad due to a sore ankle.”
Manchester City, currently fifth in the Premier League, face Everton this Saturday, and Haaland’s early return is expected to give Pep Guardiola a timely boost in preparation for the fixture.
Haaland has been in exceptional form this season, leading the Premier League scoring charts with nine goals in seven matches. Despite missing two penalties in the World Cup qualifier against Israel, he responded in ruthless fashion by scoring a hat-trick, taking his international tally to an astonishing 51 goals in 46 appearances.
His teammate Alexander Sorloth praised him, saying: “When Erling steps on the pitch, he always scores. He’s like a robot when it comes to scoring goals.”
The 25-year-old has already scored 12 goals in the current World Cup qualification campaign, making him the competition’s top scorer. Only Robert Lewandowski, with 16, and Cristiano Ronaldo, with 15, have scored more in a single qualifying campaign. A win against Estonia on November 13 would place Norway on the brink of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in North America, their first appearance since 1998.
Focused solely on team success, Haaland said: “All I care about is winning the next match.”
Haaland and Sorloth continue a proud family tradition, with their fathers Alf-Inge Haaland and Goran Sorloth both representing Norway at the 1994 World Cup in the United States. Now, the next generation is aiming to lead Norway back to the world stage after nearly 30 years.
