He has scored goals for all the clubs he has played for and is considered one of the world’s best footballers. On Sunday night, he will play as a guest when Manchester City host Manchester United. But if a Norwegian coaching profile had had its way, Erling Braut Haaland would have played a different sport. Received Thorir notice When Haaland was younger, he also played handball alongside football. In an exclusive interview with news in connection with the Sports Gala, Haaland tells of an episode when Thorir Hergeirsson, the national team manager for the women’s handball, came up to him after a handball match. – Then he actually said that he wanted me to focus on handball, because he thought I could be really good, says Haaland to news. GA HAALAND NOTICE: Thorir Hergeirsson. Photo: MAXIM THORNE / BILDBYRÅN The 24-year-old from Bryne agrees that he could assert himself in sport. – I think I could have become good at handball, but it didn’t turn out to be handball and I think football was a good choice, says Haaland with a smile on his face. – I chose the right Thorir Hergeirsson tells news that he remembers the meeting with Haaland, but not exactly what he had said. – I don’t know if I said he should. He could have become a really, really good handball player, he says to news. Hergeirsson remembers well what he thought when he saw Haaland score a goal on the floor. – He was exactly the same in boys’ handball. A target hunter. He really enjoyed scoring goals. He had a knack for goals, speed, explosiveness, an eye for the game and a nose for the goal, recalls the national team coach. ROSER JÆRBUEN: Thorir Hergeirsson believes Haaland would have been successful as a handball player as well. Photo: Beate Oma Dahle / NTB Court too small With his 194 centimeters on the stocking, one would perhaps think that the Manchester City player would be just as superior on the handball court as on the grass. Thorir knows where he would place Haaland on the pitch. – You have to remember that he probably wouldn’t have been superior physically as a handball player, the way he is in football. He might have only become a wing player, says Hergeirsson, who concludes by repeating that Jærbuen could have become a very good handball player. The world’s best handball player on the women’s side, Henny Reistad, agrees with her boss. – There is no doubt that he would have done well with the physique he has. Handball is versatile, so I think he would have had good chances to be good here too, says Reistad to news. UNSURE: Henny Reistad thinks the handball court might have become too small for Haaland. Photo: Beate Oma Dahle / NTB She believes that what could have stopped Haaland from succeeding in her sport as well, is that the size of the handball court was not suitable. – You can almost imagine if a handball court would have been too short for him, when he gets up to speed, since he is so fast. The questions are whether he had brought out all his qualities, Reistad concludes. It was during an interview for the Sports Gala that Haaland was asked if he could assert himself in sports other than football. There he also replies that he could become a good sprinter in the 100 metres, but he does not want to say anything about how fast he thinks he could run. You can watch the sports gala on NRK1 on Saturday 4 January. Published 15.12.2024, at 07.56
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