Soccer star Erling Haaland donates rare copy of Heimskringla saga to hometown library

The Manchester City and Norway soccer star Erling Haaland has donated a copy of the royal saga of Heimskringla to the library in his hometown of Bryne. The footballer reportedly paid NOK 1.3 million (USD 134,000) for the only surviving copy of Mattis Størssøn’s edition of the book.

Tales of kings and glory

Heimskringla is a collection of sagas written by the Icelandic poet Snorri Sturluson in around 1230. The collection tells the stories of Norwegian and Swedish kings, including the legendary Yngling dynasty and Harald Fairhair, known as the first King of Norway.

Although the original book was published in the 13th century, it is believed the stories themselves date back much further, and were passed down orally for many generations. Today, the collection is a hugely significant resource for Viking Age history and mythology.

The first printed edition of Heimskringla in Norway was published in 1594, and was based on a translation by the Danish scholar Mattis Størssøn. Now, Erling Haaland has purchased the only surviving copy of Mattis Størssøn’s edition.

According to a press release by Time Municipality, Erling Haaland bought the book together with his father Alfie, who was also a Norwegian international. Haaland donated the book on the condition that it would be displayed and made accessible to the public. It will now be placed in the library of Bryne, Erling Haaland’s hometown.

Erling Braut Haaland and mayor Andreas Vollsund in the mayor's office. Source: Time Municipality

Back to his roots

Haaland began his soccer career at Bryne FK, playing for the academy before making his debut for the first team at the age of 15. Since then, he has risen to become one of the finest footballers on the planet. Now, he would like to give a little something back that he hopes will inspire young people in the town.

“I want the book always to lie open so that people can read about those who came from where I come from, from Bryne and Jæren,” Erling Haaland commented on the Time Municipality website. “It’s easier to feel drawn to reading when you can recognise yourself in the people and places being written about.”

“I’ve been lucky enough to live out my dream through football, and I know not everyone gets that chance,” Haaland added. “Books give so many more people the chance to dream big, see new possibilities and find their own path."

Mattis Størssøn's version of Snorri's sagas, which will now be given to Time Municipality. Source: Time Municipality

Let the competition begin

The Haaland family have many roots in Time Municipality and the central town of Bryne. Both Erling and his father Alfie went to school in Time, while Aflie’s parents also taught at one of the schools in the area. With this in mind, Bryne Library and Time Municipality will also organize a reading competition in collaboration with Erling Haaland’s EH9 Foundation.

The competition will take place in the 2026/2027 school year, with pupils challenged to read as many books as possible. The classes that read the most books in a set period will then be invited to watch a Norwegian national soccer match at the Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo.

“We are extremely grateful,” Andreas Vollsund, mayor of Time Municipality, commented on the website. “Grateful for this incredibly generous gift, grateful that Erling, who is the most famous Norwegian in the world, never forgets where he comes from, but above all we are grateful that he, Alfie and the EH9 Foundation are giving us the opportunity to do one of the most important things we can do for our young people: give them the joy of reading.”

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