REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has revealed his favourite stadium he's ever played at, aside from the Citizens' Etihad Stadium.
Haaland is currently preparing for the 2026/27 season with City under new boss Enzo Maresca, as he looks to add more accolades to his ever-growing list of silverware and his prestigious CV.
The striker, who has scored 379 goals across 457 career appearances to date, has played at a number of iconic football grounds, including the Bernabeu, Old Trafford, Wembley, the Allianz Arena and San Siro. However, the Norwegian didn't cite any of these famous venues when asked to select the stadium he most admires.
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Sam Navarro
Haaland played in some impressive stadiums dotted across the United States at the World Cup this summer. North American venues, including New Jersey's MetLife Arena, got to witness the rampant Norwegian number nine net seven goals across five matches, before the Scandinavian outfit were knocked out of the tournament by England in the quarter-finals.
These state-of-the-art stadiums may well have caught Haaland's eye, with their stunning facilities and imposing bowl-like structures certainly memorable for anyone who steps foot in them. However, the 26-year-old hadn't yet played in many of these grounds when asked to name his favourite stadium outside of the Etihad, and thus, none of them came to mind.
In 2024, he told the Official Man City Podcast (via YouTube):
Haaland played at Signal Iduna Park week in, week out between 2020 and 2022. Signing for Borussia Dortmund in January 2020 from RB Salzburg for around €20 million (£17 million), he went on to score 86 goals in 89 appearances for die Schwarzgelben.
It's therefore no surprise that he selected a stadium he was so prolific at, and has such an emotional connection to.
50 Best (and Worst) Stadiums
50 Best (and Worst) Stadiums
Signal Iduna Park is an Iconic European Stadium
Borussia Dortmund fans at the Signal Iduna Park
Borussia Dortmund fans at the Signal Iduna Park
To those not well-versed in European football, Signal Iduna Park, also known as Westfalenstadion, might not ring any bells. However, it's one of the most iconic stadiums on the continent, renowned for its deafening atmosphere during Dortmund home matches.
The Bundesliga side play their league games at the 81,000-capacity venue, situated in the south-western quarter of the industrial city in Westphalia.
The south stand hosts the 'Yellow Wall'—a huge single-tier stand comprising of 24,454 supporters and the beating heart of the stadium. The fans stood in this section carry the atmosphere and are known worldwide for the noise they generate.