When Erling Haaland strolls into a room people stop and stare. But the footballer known for silky skills, silky hair and silk pyjamas isn’t complaining.
From his early years in a Norwegian farming town to walking tall on the world stage, the 6ft 4in striker has taken it all in his giant stride.
And as an estimated global TV audience of 500 million tune in for today’s FA Cup Final at Wembley, the Manchester City star is living his dream.
Speaking on the eve of the clash with Manchester United, 22-year-old Haaland said: “My life has changed of course. I can’t live so normally any more. That’s how my life is, I can’t complain.
“I try to enjoy every single moment of it and that’s how it is.
“I’m 196cm tall and have got long blond hair so wherever I go people are going to see me. So that’s how my life is.
“There’s nothing I can do, that’s my life. I just have to try to enjoy it as much as I can. Of course I wish I could walk into wherever I want without anyone filming me but that’s not possible.”
He added: “I cannot complain about how things have turned out.
“When I was young I wanted to become a footballer and the best in the world. A price comes with that if you are going to be that.” Since signing for the club last summer Haaland has lived in a plush city centre flat.
He has recently been joined there by his girlfriend, 18-year-old Isabel Haugseng Johansen, who is from his home town of Bryne in south west Norway.
The couple are often spotted in Manchester’s best restaurants and Haaland is loving life in the city, where he has been seen driving around in a £300,000 white Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
He said: “I like Manchester. I think to play good on the pitch you have to enjoy off the pitch as well. I like the people. I really enjoy everything.”
Haaland, who was bought by City for £51million off German side Borussia Dortmund, broke the Premier League single season goal-scoring record to help his new club win the title.
He was also named Premier League player of the year.
And if City beat their arch-rivals today and then Inter Milan in the Champions League final next Saturday, the club will have clinched a majestic Treble.
The Norwegian international is rumoured to be earning £900,000 a week in a pay and performance package at City. He also signed a 10-year boot deal with Nike this year which is believed to be worth more than £19m.
Swiss watchmaker Breitling is understood to have paid him £1m to advertise the brand. And Italian fashion firm Dolce & Gabbana reportedly rewarded him with £2m to endorse their products.
He has been pictured wearing their expensive silk pyjamas, including a majolica print pair, costing £1,310 for the top and £1,100 for the bottoms. Haaland was born in Leeds in 2000 when his Norwegian footballer dad Alfie was playing for the West Yorkshire club.
Haaland was three when he moved to his parents’ home town of Bryne where his football skills and ambition soon made him stand out.
As well as his dad – who also turned out for Man City as well as for Nottingham Forest and won 34 caps for Norway – at least 10 other relatives played professional football. Haaland’s mum, Gry Marita Braut, was a heptathlon athlete.
Alf Ingve Berntsen, who trained Haaland from the age of eight to 15 in Bryne, said: “Since he was a young boy he would say, ‘I want to be the best football player in the world’.
“From the first kick you could spot he was something special.”
Haaland – who has an older brother, finance student Astor, and an older sister, Instagram personality Gabrielle – was 15 when he made his professional debut for Bryne FK.
He moved to another Norwegian club, Molde, a year later and then to Red Bull Salzburg in Austria. Borussia Dortmund soon splashed out £17m to sign the then 19-year-old.
He scored 86 goals in 89 games for them before Man City bagged him.
Despite the adulation and the trappings of fame, he remains calm, helped by daily meditation sessions and spectacles that filter out blue light to improve his sleep.
And if he scores this afternoon, you can expect to see him doing his trademark yoga-style goal celebration, keeping his head, knowing that the best is probably yet to come.
Success on a plate for star
Foodie Erling Haaland could spend his summer planning a new venture with his Michelin star chef and pal.
The star striker posted videos of a private dining experience at 20 Stories Manchester, catered by 3* Michelin Spanish chef Dani Garcia on Tuesday. And Mr Garcia hinted at plans to expand his business with the Norwegian ace.
He wrote “Things are coming @Erling.haaland” before adding the hashtag “new project”.
Despite a strict training diet which helped him score 36 Premier League goals in 35 games this season, Haaland admitted to having a guilty pleasure. He said last year: “I really like kebab meat. I love it.”
Manc couple's united front
At least some cheers are guaranteed when a family divided by the red and blue of Manchester watch the big game together.
Marie Rossiter-Wilkinson will be in City blue with sons Lee, 26, Joel, 18, and daughter Tyler, 23.
But her husband Dan Wilkinson, 52, her youngest daughter Beau, 13, and sister-in-law Tracey Bateman, 50, will be wearing their United colours.
Lee’s six-month-old girl Ruby will be in her City baby grow, but Tyler’s five-month-old Billie will be in her United top, on the orders of dad Matt Buckshaw, 24.
Child minder Marie, 43, from Cheadle Hulme, Gtr Manchester, said: “We’ll see who’s crying at the end.”
