Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has given a rare 16th-century collection of Viking sagas to the public library in Bryne, the town where he grew up.
Haaland and his father bought the 1594 printed edition of Snorri Sturluson’s work in December for 1.3 million Norwegian kroner (about £100,000), a sum that set a new record for a book sale in Norway.
The volume, believed to be the only surviving copy of that edition, will be on display in Bryne so residents can view and read stories about medieval kings, farmers and warriors who once lived in the region.
Haaland said he wants the book to be accessible to people from Bryne and the surrounding Jæren district, hoping it will help others imagine new possibilities and find their own paths—something he says he was fortunate to do through football.
Born in Leeds while his father played for Leeds United, Haaland was raised in Bryne, roughly 30km south of Stavanger in western Norway.
On the pitch he has continued to shine: Haaland is Norway’s all-time leading scorer with 55 goals in 48 internationals, is the Premier League’s top scorer this season with 22 in 29 appearances, and led the European qualifying charts last year with 16 goals.
Norway have secured a place at the 2026 World Cup, their first finals appearance since 1998.
