Soccer-Haaland trades goals for sagas with record-breaking Viking book


Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Bodo/Glimt v Manchester City - Aspmyra Stadion, Bodo, Norway - January 20, 2026 Manchester City's Erling Haaland during the warm up before the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers

March 25 (Reuters) - Manchester ⁠City striker Erling Haaland has donated a ⁠rare 16th-century manuscript of Viking sagas to ‌his home municipality in Norway.

The Norway international and his father, Alf-Inge Haaland, purchased the 1594 edition of Snorri ​Sturluson's chronicles at auction in December ⁠for 1.3 million ⁠Norwegian crowns ($133,636), a national record for book sales, ⁠broadcaster NRK ‌said on Tuesday.

The volume, which details the history of medieval Norse kings, ⁠will be placed on permanent display at ​the local ‌library in Time. Haaland acquired the text ⁠to ensure ​it remained in his home region of Jaeren so that residents could read about the historical ⁠figures from their own area.

"I ​am living my dream, but unfortunately that is reserved for only a few. I have seen ⁠how books enable many people to dream and make their dreams come true," Haaland said, as quoted by Norwegian media.

The move adds another ​chapter to the story of ⁠Norway's all-time leading goalscorer. The 25-year-old is currently ​preparing to lead his country ‌in their first World Cup ​in 28 years this June.

($1 = 9.7279 Norwegian crowns)

(Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk)

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