Manchester City have had a number of players withdraw from their national squads in recent days – but Erling Haaland was featuring as expected for Norway.
With Manchester City going through a really tough spell, Pep Guardiola will be extremely keen not to lose any more players to injury.
The likes of Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Manuel Akanji and Matheus Nunes all pulled out of international duty, as they seek to recover ahead of what is going to be a very full-on festive period.
But one of City’s most used players this season – Erling Haaland – played for Norway tonight against Slovenia in their latest Nations League match.
It was a comfortable night’s work as they won 4-1 with Haaland getting on the scoresheet – and his latest goal took him past a footballing legend.
- READ MORE: Every Manchester City player on international duty and their fixtures after latest withdraws
Erling Haaland surpasses Diego Maradona’s international goal tally in 4-1 win for Norway
Haaland has been in great goalscoring form this season – and the City number nine was on target for his country tonight.
And the goal had some impressive significance.
Haaland recently became Norway’s all-time top goalscorer when he scored his 34th goal against Slovenia.
He scored against them tonight in Ljubljana in a 4-1 win, and his 35 international goals mean he has now actually surpassed Diego Maradona’s haul for Argentina (34).
Maradona, of course, is considered one of the best footballers ever to have played the game, with some even believing he was better than Lionel Messi.
It was a good goal from Haaland, who collected a through ball and finished clinically by opening his body and slotting into the far bottom corner – the kind of goal he has scored countless times before.
It was a captain’s performance, with Haaland also providing an assist.
Haaland now has 19 goals so far this season for club and country, and the win for Norway over Slovenia means they are now second in their group but joint on points with leaders Austria, with one game left to play.
Haaland can hit over 100 for Norway
So that’s 35 in 38 games now for Norway for Haaland, which is just outstanding.
Norway have never really been a top footballing nation, so it makes this record all the more impressive.
Haaland is still only 24 and one would imagine that he could well end up scoring over 100 goals for his country if he is able to stay fit and healthy throughout his career.
He may not play alongside players who are the same quality as those back at City, but Haaland is still clearly very productive for his country.
It must be a very nice feeling to know that he has surpassed a footballing great in Maradona, although Haaland will probably have a tough time trying to match the Argentine’s international legacy.
