Haaland has another reason to be happy in football terms, as he will be heading to his first World Cup with Norway this summer. He is the main reason why, too, after scoring 16 goals in their eight qualifiers.
On a personal level, last season was a difficult one for Haaland not only because of of City’s results but also because of the death of family friend Ivar Eggja, who was like an uncle to him.
"How am I going to process it? It’s difficult. It’s sad that he’s no longer here. I will miss him for the rest of my life," Haaland said when asked about it earlier this season.
Around the same time as Eggja’s death, Haaland and his girlfriend were expecting their first baby, which, as any parents can attest, is an exciting but extremely stressful period. So too are the first few months after childbirth, full of sleepless nights and worry about what you are going to be like as a parent. The anxiety soon turns into untold joy, though, and with his son having celebrated his first birthday in December, Haaland is now experiencing the best moments fatherhood has to offer.
"With a kid, it makes me even better because I actually disconnect more than ever," he admitted in October. "I don’t think of football at all, which sometimes, when you are younger, you think of this and that. You worry a little bit about things. But when I go home, I relax even more. I think I need to give a shout-out to my son."