Erling Braut Haaland is historic: he sets a goalscoring record that dates back more than 90 years. Haaland is now Norway’s top scoring men’s player of all time.

Seeing him score goals match after match, it was clear that this moment would come. That milestone was reached on Thursday.

Haaland’s 1-0 goal in Oslo, during his 36th international appearance, marked a pivotal moment in Norwegian football history.

With that goal, Haaland equaled the long-standing record held by Jørgen Juve, who had scored 33 goals for Norway. Juve’s record had stood untouched for more than 90 years, making Haaland’s achievement particularly significant. To reach his record, Haaland needed far fewer matches, demonstrating not only his natural talent but also his meteoric rise as a football phenomenon.

But the Manchester City player, captaining the team in the absence of Martin Ødegaard, is insatiable when it comes to scoring, and at the hour mark, he broke Juve’s old record from the 1930s, capping off his team’s 3-0 victory.

Haaland seized the opportunity to score a second goal, completing Norway’s 3-0 win and, more importantly, making him the sole record holder as the country’s all-time top scorer with 34 goals.

It took Haaland just 36 international appearances to claim a record that he could push to unprecedented heights, given that he’s only 24 years old.

Known for his ruthless finishing, unmatched speed, and uncanny ability to find space, Haaland’s contribution to the national team has gone beyond just statistics. His impact has been felt in the resurgence of Norway as a formidable force in European football, a team now capable of competing with the continent’s best.

To fully appreciate Haaland’s accomplishment, it’s worth looking at the names he surpassed on the list of Norway’s greatest goal scorers. Jørgen Juve’s 33 goals had made him a national hero, and players like John Carew, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and Tore André Flo had all left their mark on Norwegian football history as well. Carew, who was known for his physical presence and ability to dominate in the air, finished his international career with 24 goals. Solskjaer, the “super sub” who became famous at Manchester United, managed 23 goals, tied with Flo, another Norwegian star who had shone in England. Behind them are Steffen Iversen, with 21 goals, and Joshua King, who has 20.

At just 24 years old, he still has many years ahead of him to extend his record, potentially putting it out of reach for future generations.

Norway’s upcoming fixtures, especially in competitions like the UEFA Nations League and World Cup qualifiers, provide Haaland with plenty of opportunities to add to his tally. If he continues at his current pace, it is not hard to imagine him pushing past 50 or even 60 international goals by the time his career ends, leaving behind a legacy that may never be surpassed.

This is not the first record Haaland has broken this season. Off to an incredible start, he’s already netted 14 goals in 13 matches across all competitions. The striker needed only 105 appearances in a Manchester City shirt to reach 100 goals, matching the pace of Cristiano Ronaldo, the fastest player to achieve this total across Europe’s top five leagues.

Read: Haaland is set to sign a new contract with Manchester City, but has one condition

He joined Man City in 2022 for a hefty transfer fee but quickly proved his worth by breaking numerous Premier League and Champions League records. His physical attributes standing at 1.94 meters tall, with a muscular build and incredible speed make him a nightmare for defenders. But beyond his physique, it is his sharp footballing intelligence, positioning, and deadly finishing that truly set him apart.

Whether at the club or international level, Erling Haaland is writing history, one goal at a time.

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