Erling Haaland became Norway’s all-time top scorer on Thursday with a brace in his country’s 3-0 win over Slovakia in the UEFA Nations League.
Aged just 24, Haaland’s two strikes took his international tally to 34 goals in just 36 international games, breaking Jorgen Juve’s record of more than 90 years.
Juve scored 33 goals in his 45 games for the Norwegian national team between 1928 and 1937, scoring most in the now-defunct Nordic Football Championship, a tournament he helped his team win by scoring 17 goals in 12 games between 1929 . and 1932.
Haaland he has broken Juve’s record in fewer games and at a much younger age, and speaking of the feat after the win over Slovakia, the striker hailed the achievement as “historic”:
“Of course it’s big and historic. I’m happy, and it’s a fantastic record to get. I’ve got a lot of years left. I’m enjoying it.
“It was a well-executed game. I’m proud. It’s a record that has stood for a long time. I felt good. I haven’t had this much energy on the field in a long time.”
The Manchester City The striker was also the stand-in captain in the match against Slovakia, leading his nation in the absence of Arsenal star Martin Odegaard. The win itself was Norway’s second in three UEFA Nations League B games so far in 2024, with Haaland scoring three goals in those three games.
Haaland will hope to add to his Norwegian goalscoring record later this week when his nation travel to face Austria on Sunday.
