Over 1,200 players are participating in the men’s World Cup 2026, which is taking place in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
With 92 games already played, however, some players are outshining others. This is the case with Erling Haaland. The Norwegian forward scored two goals against Brazil to book his country’s place in the quarter-finals for the first time, one step closer to the final on 19 July.
“Maybe this will write history in Norway,” Haaland said after the game. “Everyone just needs to enjoy themselves. This is just an insane day. It’s one of the most insane days in Norwegian history. Just enjoy it, embrace it and enjoy the moment.”
He has been a key part of the national team since his debut in 2019.
What is his secret? Part of the answer may lie in his background: Haaland comes from a sports family and both his parents were professional athletes.
Alf-Inge Haaland is a former professional footballer with an extended career both in Norway’s national team and at English clubs. Gry Marita Braut was a national champion heptathlete, competing at the top level in Norwegian track and field.
But genetics is only part of the story, Haaland points to a disciplined daily routine, built around training, recovery and nutrition, as the foundation of his form.
“You need to be a 24/7 athlete; it’s not just the two hours of the game,” Haaland said on his YouTube channel.
“Our bodies can handle so much more than we think; a lot is in the mind,” he added. “I feel tired, but I tell my body I’m not. It’s a psychological thing.”
For Haaland, the 90 minutes of football are the end result of everything else he does during training.
“It’s how you sleep, how you prepare yourself for the next training, how you prepare yourself for the next game, how you recover from the game,” he added. “It’s a whole package.”
As with any professional footballer at such a high level, Haaland follows a tight routine designed to get the maximum out of his body.
Pro training conditions
Haaland lives in Manchester, where he plays for Manchester City and won the Premier League twice, in 2023 and 2024.
In between stretches, strength exercises and cardio, flexibility is a key factor in Haaland’s training.
“I have a natural good flexibility in my groins and hips, which is so important for me to keep, because how do you score these goals? We need to have good mobility or flexibility to score these crazy goals,” he added.
As part of his training at Manchester City’s facilities, he performs some of his exercises in a hypoxic chamber.
This chamber is designed to create a controlled low-oxygen environment that replicates higher altitudes. It can also increase heat and humidity levels.
According to Haaland, training in these conditions helps him recover faster between sprints during matches.
“You need to find what’s good for you, because everyone is different,” said Haaland. “The important thing is to move your body and stay active.”
Even 10 or 15 minutes of stretching or mobility can make such a big difference, he noted.
Importance of recovery
The same way the game doesn’t start with the first kick, it doesn’t end with the final whistle.
For Haaland, recovery is essential to his routine. An ice bath and sauna are part of his post-training regime, something he tries to do four or five times a week.
Many athletes take ice baths as a way to soothe muscle pain and alleviate soreness.
In the video, Haaland also uses red light — a treatment that uses low levels of red light to reportedly improve your skin’s appearance, like reducing wrinkles, scars, redness and acne —which he says compensates for the lack of sunlight that he gets in Manchester.
There is ongoing research to determine whether red light treatment is effective. Some early studies suggest it might help certain skin problems such as acne and psoriasis, but the evidence is still limited.
Haaland has also stated in multiple interviews that sleep is the most important thing in the world and that a healthy sleep schedule is non-negotiable.
‘Simple nutrition’
Another important aspect of Haaland’s daily routine is food and nutrition. In the video documenting a typical day, he begins the morning with a coffee containing raw milk and maple syrup.
Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurised, a process that removes disease-causing germs by heating milk to a high enough temperature for a certain length of time.
It is not recommended by public health authorities and its sale is strictly regulated.
Good nutrition is essential for any high-performing athlete.
“I like to read and try out new things. Why not? For my life and also my career, why not try to optimise some easy small things as much as I can?” Haaland added.
He said that “nutrition is simple”. He prefers a straightforward breakfast and fatty steaks. “I love food, and I said it before; I live to eat food no matter what happens in the day.”