Norway star Erling Haaland’s old ‘retirement’ comments resurface as World Cup journey takes centre stage

Erling Haaland is one of the biggest football stars in the world, but his plans after retirement are surprisingly simple. While he continues leading Norway at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and remains Manchester City’s main goal threat, Haaland has often said he dreams of leaving football behind one day and settling on a small farm.

In interviews with ESPN, he spoke about driving tractors, feeding cows and enjoying a quiet life away from the pressure that comes with being a global superstar. Those comments were not a joke or a passing thought. They reflect the life he grew up around in Bryne, Norway.

Erling Braut Haaland’s rise from Bryne to Manchester City and Norway’s biggest star

Born in Leeds on July 21, 2000, while his father Alf-Inge Haaland was playing in England, Erling Haaland moved to Bryne at a young age and was raised in the small Norwegian town that remains closely tied to farming and rural life.

Football became his focus early, but the environment around him shaped the person he would become. Haaland made his senior debut for Bryne before moving to Molde, where his talent became impossible to ignore. His next stop was Red Bull Salzburg, where goals in the UEFA Champions League quickly turned him into one of Europe’s most talked-about young players. Borussia Dortmund signed him in 2020, and he continued scoring at an incredible rate.

Everything reached another level when Manchester City brought him to England in 2022. In his first Premier League season, Haaland broke the league’s single-season scoring record with 36 goals and helped City win the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League. Since then, he has added more trophies, more records and more goals to his growing collection. The striker also committed his long-term future to City by signing a contract extension until 2034.

Even with worldwide fame, huge sponsorship deals and life in the spotlight, Haaland has continued to present himself as someone who values simple things more than celebrity status.

Erling Braut Haaland’s tractor dream and the farm life waiting after football

What makes Haaland different from many modern sports stars is how often he talks about life beyond football. During an interview with ESPN in 2022, he explained that spending time on farms helps him switch off mentally. He said being a footballer brings constant pressure, and activities such as driving a tractor or feeding cows allow him to relax.

He also revealed that he expects to own a small farm after retirement and keep animals there.

His connection to farming is deeply linked to Bryne. The area is known for agriculture, and Haaland has frequently been photographed on tractors during visits home. Reports from Norway have highlighted how he still maintains strong ties to the community where he grew up. Visitors to Bryne can even see how closely the town connects its identity to Haaland’s journey. For now, football remains the priority. At 26, Haaland is still chasing major trophies with Manchester City and trying to create history with Norway on the World Cup stage. Yet whenever retirement comes, his vision has remained remarkably consistent. Instead of bright lights and luxury lifestyles, Haaland sees himself surrounded by fields, tractors and animals back in the countryside that shaped him.