In Bryne, they are a humble, hard-working, and reclusive people.
When they do start, everyone has a favourite topic.
7Erling Haaland got his start in football with BryneCredit: Sven Olav Sele – Bryne FK
7Haaland spent most of his upbringing in the Norwegian townCredit: instagram: @erling.haaland
7Haaland feels most at ease in his hometownCredit: instagram: @erling.haaland
Erling Braut Haaland, Manchester City’s new £51.4 million hero, dominates this small area in southwest Norway.
In reality, a massive painting of the former Norway striker from his time at Borussia Dortmund, painted on the wall of a historic dairy, dwarfs visitors leaving the train station.
Haaland cannot leave his hometown.
Erling was born in Leeds in 2000, during the last years of his father Alf-Inge’s playing career at Elland Road. The family returned to Bryne when Erling was three years old.
That farmer was Gabriel Hoyland, his maternal great-uncle, and the six-foot-five hitman helps out on his pig and potato farm when he returns home.
The two elder family members are legends at Bryne FK; Alfie is still a fixture at home games, while Hoyland is known as Mr. Bryne.
Haaland joined his local squad when he was five years old and made his professional debut ten years later. He left at 16, agreeing to play in the top league for Molde, but he had already made an impression.
In order to make his debut in 2016, Haaland had to replace Robert Undheim, a winger still playing for Bryne in Norway’s second level.
“Everyone knew he was a childhood star,” he said to SunSport.
“When I first saw him, he was just a young child, but you could tell there was something unique about him because of how quick he was. He possessed everything.
A few years above Haaland in the local school, Sondre Norheim, a defender at Bryne, remarked: “I knew that he was always with the age group above him, so that alone makes him stand out.”
“He was training with grown adults. He was 15 so he was always lacking a bit physically at that time, as anyone would.
“But you could see in his play that he made up for it with his positioning and ability in front of goal.”
7Erling Haaland often visits BryneCredit: instagram: @erling.haaland
7He made his debut for his local club aged 15Credit: Sven Olav Sele – Bryne FK
