​England arguably boast the best striker in this World Cup in Harry Kane, with Erling Haaland as his chief challenger in the ongoing debate. Haaland could have donned the Three Lions as well, and his performances this tournament have been nothing short of extraordinary. He has carried Norway to a historic quarter-final—their first in 28 years—scoring seven goals along the way. Up next for him is a clash with England, whose own number nine has been just as lethal, Kane so far on six goals, matching pace with the Manchester City forward. Picture them both in white this Saturday; it almost happened.
Haaland’s origin story is a curious one. He was born in Leeds and spent the first three years of his life there while his father, Alf-Inge Haaland, played for Leeds United. Yet Haaland always considered himself Norwegian and moved back to Bryne at the age of three, growing up there. England may have missed out on one of modern football’s most prodigious international talents. His astonishing tally of 62 goals in 54 appearances is a rate that neither Kane nor any England player has approached.
When asked by GOAL about his decision, Haaland explained: “I lived here in England for three-and-a-half to four years and I lived in Norway for so long, so it felt natural to choose Norway. You never know how things would have been if my father had played longer in England—maybe I would be English, I don’t know. But I’m Norwegian and I’m proud of it.” For completeness, Haaland would not be eligible to play for England without a UK passport, a status he himself has never pursued. But entertain the thought: what if he had stayed in England during his childhood? How would Thomas Tuchel have integrated him and Kane into a single attack? Given Kane’s versatility, able to operate almost anywhere on the pitch, one can imagine the German coach devising a system that could feature both at the apex of his attack.
Instead, the narrative today places Haaland barreling toward England with a World Cup semi-final berth on the line. It remains to be seen whether his choice to stay with Norway proves the wiser one, or if Inggris will rue the alternative history in which he wore white.