– There was an outpouring of emotions, says Kristoffer Haraldseid. Molde had just beaten Bodø/Glimt at Ullevaal and won the cup. In the players’ bus, the mood was euphoric, but Haraldseid sat in a corner by himself and branched. – I wasn’t able to join the celebration, I had enough with myself. The thought that it was he who would be out on the mat during the cup final was too much. The Molde team celebrates being Norwegian champions 2022. Kristoffer Haraldseid is number three from the left back. Photo: Svein Ove Ekornesvåg / Svein Ove Ekornesvåg Going through a nightmare What his teammates could cheer for was the win he himself had worked for and dreamed of all his life. Being able to lift the King’s Cup and wave proudly to family and friends in the stands. – I would have been the happiest person on the bus, he says. It didn’t turn out that way. – The last three years have been a sporting nightmare. It was Haugesund’s Avis that mentioned the case first. Haraldseid struck a chord when he left Haugesund for Molde in 2019. He slotted straight into the team, and won the Eliteserien at the first attempt. – He was very good then, says former coach Erling Moe. Several foreign clubs showed interest in Vatsbuen, but he himself was in no rush to fulfill his dream of making the step out into Europe. – A black day Due to the pandemic, the start of the series was postponed, and three days before it finally cleared again things went crazy in training. From the sidelines, Moe saw that Haraldseid entered into a perfectly normal duel. As the right back turned, there was a noise from his knee. – It was a black day, and a terrible training. I could hear that it was something serious, says Moe, who was standing a few meters away. Haraldseid had torn his cruciate ligament, and would miss the entire 2020 season. – Then the world came crashing down, he says. Here, Haraldseid celebrates scoring against Mjøndalen in 2019. Photo: Svein Ove Ekornesvåg / Svein Ove Ekornesvåg Should return After an emotional phone conversation with his father, he decided what kind of attitude he should have going forward. – I was going back, and sooner than the nine months I was told I would be out, he says. Haraldseid has worked extremely hard during the rehabilitation. Here at Trimeriet in Haugesund. Photo: Håkon Mannsåker / news And it seemed for a long time that he would be able to do that. After following the rehabilitation to the letter, he was only weeks away from making a comeback in 2021. He went with the team to a training camp in Spain, and was close to being able to train with the team fully. While standing on the touchline wearing trainers, he waddled onto the wet grass while some of his teammates remained to shoot at goal. Then Haraldseid got an idea that would cost him his football career. Haraldseid has replayed the episode in Spain countless times in his head. Photo: Håkon Mannsåker / news Magekjensla voted – I was going to joke with someone on the team, and play away his ball when he was going to shoot. As he put his stump down, he slipped on the grass, twisted his injured knee, and landed on his butt. – I got a very nasty feeling when it happened, he says. Guts turned out to be right. After taking new checks on the knee, it turned out that he has broken up a cartilage both on the underside and the back of the knee. Since then, Haraldseid has not played football. The worst that could have happened, because he tried for a total of three years to recover from his injuries. He met countless specialists and carried out several operations, without the knee responding as desired. The knee has clear scars after the operations. Photo: Håkon Mannsåker / news At New Year the contract with Molde expired. Now he has given up his professional career and moved home to Haugesund with his family at the age of 29. – That such a small incident can have such a big impact on life is as unfortunate as it gets, says Moe. – I thought about why I was such an idiot and would do that, says Haraldseid with a bitter smile. – It was probably the worst thing that could have happened at the given time for him. It’s bloody sad for Kristoffer, says Moe. Had we been relevant for the national team He thinks Haraldseid would have been in a completely different place than Haugesund today, if it weren’t for the injuries. – I am absolutely certain that he had had an adventure abroad and been relevant for the national team. Everything was ready for that, says Moe and continues: – I doubt that he would have played in Molde to this day. Kristoffer Haraldseid (top left) has 66 U-national team matches, and played with Martin Ødegaard and Mohamed Elyounoussi, among others. Photo: Berit Roald / NTB Mykje suggests that Moe’s assumptions are correct. In retrospect, both Henry Wingo (Ferencváros) and Marcus Holmgren Pedersen (Feyenoord), who were Haraldseid’s replacements, have taken the step from Molde further into Europe. Even the man who is on the books with 66 U-national team matches agrees with what Moe says. – I was on a very good career path and had made systematic progress. When the injury came, I was on my way to taking another step, but now I’ll never know where it could end up, he says. Here, Kristoffer gets a handshake from the coach during his time in Molde, Erling Moe, after he ensured a 1-0 victory against Mjøndalen in 2019. Photo: Svein Ove Ekornesvåg / Svein Ove Ekornesvåg At the same time, it’s not the worst for the 29-year-old . – The worst thing is that I don’t get to do what I love most in life. Outside of my family, it’s playing soccer. That’s all I want to do, says Haraldseid. Gets answers from specialists Within a short time, he gets the answer to whether it will ever be possible. – Then I will get a final feedback from the specialists in Germany. I am realistic and expect them to tell me what I already know, says Haraldseid. When the shoes have been put on the shelf for good, the time has come to find a new employer. – I will use a bit more time to find out what I want, but I am open to most things, says Haraldseid with a big smile. Right now he is enjoying the last few weeks in a papa binder. Having son Filip during the injury period has made life brighter for Haraldseid. Photo: Håkon Mannsåker / news
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