Haaland surprises his town in Norway with a historic gift. He donated a treasure trove from the 16th century

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has donated a rare 16th-century manuscript containing a Viking saga to his birthplace in Norway. Last December, the Norwegian international and his father, Alf-Inge Haaland, bought a copy dating back to the year 1594 from a series of stories by the historian and poet Snorri Sturluson at a public auction for 1.3 million Norwegian kroner ($133,636), which is a national record in book sales, according to what the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation reported yesterday, Tuesday.

The volume, which documents the history of the northern kings in the Middle Ages, will be permanently displayed in the local library in the municipality of Thames. Haaland was keen to acquire the manuscript to ensure that it remained in his hometown, so that residents could read historical stories related to their roots.

Haaland said, according to what was reported by Norwegian media, “I am living my dream, but unfortunately this dream is available to only a few. I have seen how books give many people the ability to dream and achieve their dreams.”
This step adds a new chapter to the biography of the best scorer in Norwegian history, as the 25-year-old player prepares to lead his country in its first participation in the World Cup in 28 years, next June.