Not because the man plucked from lower-league Norwegian football at 18 by Gus Poyet might have been Albion’s Erling Haaland before we even knew who Erling Haaland was.
But because he admires the big man’s play and, to a degree, he knows the path he has trodden.
Haaland will be a huge threat to England in the Miami quarter-final after making great strides during his time at Manchester City.
Almost 16 years ago, Agdestein was an 18-year-old No.9 arriving from the Norwegian lower divisions and aiming to impress in England.
Toby Agdestein leads Albion out for the 2011 Sussex Senior Cup final, the first match at the Amex (Image: Tony Wood)
The fairy tale script did not quite happen although, as a claim to fame, he became the first man to lead out an Albion side at the Amex, captaining the under-23s in the 2011 Sussex Senior Cup final.
Now retired as a player and working in an admin role at his local sports club, he has great memories of those times, some honest admissions about what might have been and some interesting views on player development in Norway.
And, of course, a huge admiration for Haaland.
“Of course I'm trying to put myself in his situation, looking at his movements and thinking about how I would work,” he told The Argus.
“It’s a natural way for me to be thinking when I’m watching the game.
“You can see him, he's not part of the game.
“But he needs only ten touches through the whole game. That's enough to score the goal or three.
“He has to be ready to be that inch ahead of everyone when the ball comes.
“And he does that brilliantly, better than anyone at the moment.”
Those were the instincts young Agdestein was working on as he joined Albion alongside fellow striker Fran Sandaza and winger Kazengua LuaLua at the end of the 2010 summer window.
He recalls: “I was playing at level three in Norway at the time for my local club.
“There was this agent - not my agent at the time - who had brought someone over a couple of weeks before.
"I remember he said that the message he got from Gus was to get younger people for this new development squad he was building.
“The agent knew about me and contacted me on a Sunday, I think it was, and we went to meet up and he said, ‘I've got an opportunity here’.
“On the Monday morning, we're on our way to the airport to have a trial at Brighton.
“I had training Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and on the Wednesday was an internal match at Withdean and I scored two goals, so I did really well and then I got offered a contract.
“I got a one-year contract, got another year extension after that, and then finally I signed for two years but it was terminated after one when Gus was sacked.”
Brighton and Hove Albion v Orient JP Trophy match at Withdean - Brighton's new signings from left Kazenga LuaLua , Fran Sandaza and Torbjorn Agedestein are introduced to the crowd Photograph taken by Simon Dack 1 September 2010New signings Kazenga LuaLua, Fran Sandaza and Torbjorn Agdestein are introduced to the crowd in 2010 (Image: Simon Dack)
Agdestein had digs in Pyecombe and keeps in touch with the family.
He has also remained in contact with players including Lewis Dunk, Solly March and goalkeeper Dan East.
“I remember training being really quick and tough but I was a big lad and I was quite powerful so I think I managed okay and I got to show off my goal-scoring abilities, so I think that's the reason I was fine in the end.”
Agdestein, who was generally known as Toby in England, remained on board as Albion moved from League One at Withdean to the Championship at the Amex.
He played in the FA Cup replay at freezing Wrexham in the 2011-12 season and had a hand in Will Buckley’s winning goal at Peterborough three days later.
“The Peterborough game was a massive highlight, definitely, and being on the bench away to Liverpool in the FA Cup was surreal for me.
“I don't think I’d have been able to do anything if I had got on – it was a little bit too big for me!
“I came on as sub away against Crystal Palace and I didn't really know how the rivalry was.
“I was warming up in front of the crowd and I was hearing so many things I had never heard before!
“I think I've got a yellow card within the first 20 seconds, as well.
“But it was a really good period because I remember I got to my national team under-21s as well.
“I got one cap there and I thought that was a great, great time."
After a brief spell at Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Agdestein returned to Norway and scored plenty of goals before suffering serious knee injuries.
But he said nothing ever felt quite like playing in England.
There is a contrast, too in how young players develop with Norway, keeping the emphasis more on fun and away from league tables and trophies until a later age.
Torbjorn AgdesteinTorbjorn Agdestein with wife-to-be Mabel, son Oliver (2) and daughter Emily Olufine (7) celebrating Norway's Independence Day at their home (Image: None)
Agdestein said: “It's more like free play and then the good players play together with the bad players, but they are all friends so they stick together and they enjoy their sport.
“I think it has to do with this, they enjoy the sports, not pitched into anything before they are mentally ready for it.
“Obviously, you can go both ways. But I think it's a healthy way of looking at things.
“It's just a game until you are at the age where you start understanding the seriousness of it and what you're around and achievement.”
All of which has helped the national team to the world’s last eight, helping change attitudes at the same time.
“Playing for the national team here in Norway hasn't been that big of a deal.
“It's more like trying to get yourself a big club, like say Manchester United or Real Madrid or Barcelona.
“I remember growing up, I didn't follow the national team that closely because we weren't that good.
Norway's Erling Haaland (9) celebrates after the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Brazil and Norway in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)Erling Haaland has been in great form for Norway (Image: AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
“I remember when I got the call-up for the under-21s, I was kind of proud of that, but I didn't think much of it after the one game, and I haven't really thought much about it since.
“The mentality of being on the Norwegian team hasn't been there for the past, say, 20, 25 years.
“But I think a World Cup like this or performances like this will change that.
“Around the whole community, the whole of Norway, it's amazing that a lot of people are watching in public places and they are gathering everywhere where it's possible together to come and watch.”
Agdestein will marry partner Madel this summer and they have children aged seven and two.
He does a bit of coaching for his daughter’s team.
Might he have been Albion’s forerunner to Haaland? A big ask, but he does wonder sometimes how far the move to Withdean might have led him.
“I was a big Manchester United fan at the time and we went to play at their Carrington training ground with the development squad, so that was great.
“I don't know if my ambitions weren't high enough.
“I think I was quite satisfied when I got my debut in the first team and playing in the Championship and everything.
“I think maybe that was one of my weaknesses.
“Thinking of it now that I'm much older and wiser, I think if I only wasn't as satisfied with where I was, maybe I could have made it even further, got even better.
“But it's obviously quite easy to look back at things.
“That's how I remember it. But I was very proud of myself being in a team and then getting into the first team and then a couple of games.”