Erling Haaland changes name on back of Norway shirt for heartwarming reason
Erling Haaland has been the standout star of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, dragging Norway to the brink of a first major tournament semi-final since Euro 2000 off the back of seven goals in four games.
The Manchester City striker's brace against Brazil in the Round of 16 knocked the five-time champions out of the competition altogether, but last night he was unusually subdued during a dramatic 2-1 defeat to England that had plenty of fans talking.
But eagle-eyed viewers watching the Norway squad this summer will have noticed something different about Haaland's shirt compared to the one he wears week in, week out for Manchester City.
While his club jersey simply reads 'Haaland' across the shoulders, his Norway shirt carries an extra name: 'Braut'.
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It's not a nickname or a sponsor quirk, but a tribute to his mum.
Why does Haaland have Braut on his Norway shirt?
Haaland's full legal name is Erling Braut Haaland, and "Braut" comes from his mother, Gry Marita Braut, a former Norwegian champion heptathlete. In Norwegian culture it's common for surnames to carry both parents' names, and Haaland has chosen to represent that heritage specifically when playing for his country. He wore "Braut" on the back of his shirt during his time at Red Bull Salzburg between 2019 and 2020, before dropping it when he moved to Borussia Dortmund.
His parents, Alf-Inge 'Alfie' Haaland and Gry Marita Braut, were both professional athletes in their own right. Alfie played for Nottingham Forest, Leeds United and Manchester City through the 1990s and 2000s, winning 34 caps for Norway as a defender and midfielder, while Gry was crowned national heptathlon champion.
It was during Alfie's spell at Leeds that Erling was actually born, in West Yorkshire, and the family spent the first three years of his life in England before moving back to Bryne, Norway, once his dad hung up his boots in 2003.
Could Erling Haaland have played for England instead of Norway?
Because he was born on English soil, Haaland would technically have been entitled to British citizenship and could have chosen to represent England rather than Norway. He said the decision was never really a difficult one.
"I lived here [England] for three-and-a-half-to-four years and I lived in Norway for such a long time, so then it was natural for me to choose Norway," he said in an interview with Goal.
"You never know how it would be if maybe my father played longer in England or whatever. Maybe I would be English, I don't know. But yeah, I'm Norwegian and I'm proud of it."
Haaland has previously spoken about how close he remains with both parents, telling the Rest Is Football podcast in December 2025 that he tries to "make them proud" and include them in football life whenever he can, adding that it's 'a special life' he wants to enjoy together with his family while it lasts.
He's also spoken at length about his bond with his dad specifically, telling The Telegraph that despite Alfie being his father, "in some ways, he's more of a brother to me," with the pair speaking every single day.
Thomas Bamford