The last time Norway appeared at a FIFA World Cup, Erling Haaland had not yet drawn his first breath. Now, 28 years on, he has single-handedly dragged his nation back to the sport's greatest stage — scoring 16 goals across eight qualifying matches in a campaign as dominant as any the country has produced.

For a striker who was technically eligible to represent England — having been born in Leeds while his father, Alf-Inge, was playing there — the pull of Norway was never in any doubt. When then-England manager Gareth Southgate was asked in 2020 about the possibility of Haaland wearing a white shirt, the response was brief and final.