Erling Haaland has asked the Norwegian national team to print the name “Braut” on his jersey. Braut is his mother Marita’s maiden name and, for Haaland, it symbolizes paying tribute to one of the most important people in his life. Many know that Haaland inherited his love of football from his father Alf-Inge Haaland, a former professional footballer. But he owes his physical strength, discipline, and tenacity to his mother. Marita Braut was a successful heptathlete and multiple-time champion in Norway. Haaland often says that his father passed on to him the passion for football, while his mother gave him discipline and an athletic physique. The father gave him football in his blood, the mother the body of an athlete. Together they shaped one of the most feared strikers in the world. In this year’s World Cup, Haaland has already scored seven goals and led Norway to the quarterfinals for the first time in the country’s history. On his jersey is not just the name of a player, but also a thank-you to his mother.
