Erling Haaland, the Manchester City striker, and his father Alf Inge Haaland have donated a historically significant 16th-century text to the public library in their hometown of Bryne, Norway. The book, Snorre Sturlasons Kongesagaer (Snorre Sturlason’s Royal Sagas), was purchased at auction for 1.3 million Norwegian kroner, making it the most expensive book ever sold in Norway. The elder Haaland revealed that the acquisition was made on impulse, describing it as one of several spontaneous decisions he and his son occasionally make together.
The rare volume represents the only known privately owned complete copy of the 1594 Danish-Norwegian printed edition of the sagas, which chronicle the history of Old Norse Viking and medieval Norwegian kings. The original texts were composed by Icelandic writer Snorri Sturlason in the 13th century, documenting stories of monarchs, nobles, farmers, and warriors central to Norwegian cultural heritage. This particular edition was printed in Copenhagen during a period when Norway lacked printing presses and remained under Danish rule.
According to Norway’s national librarian Åse Wetås, the gift holds exceptional value, as other copies held at the National Library of Norway are incomplete. The book will be displayed in a case at the Time library in Bryne, with a digitized version also made available online. Wetås emphasized the significance of promoting reading and reliable sources during what she characterized as a challenging period for literacy and democratic institutions.
The donation was unveiled at a public ceremony earlier this week, attended by local schoolchildren who are participating in a reading competition organized by the Haalands. Participants aim to win tickets to watch Haaland and the Norwegian national team play at the country’s primary stadium. The initiative has generated substantial engagement, with pupils reportedly spending extended hours reading at the library. Town officials and library staff have described the gesture as reflective of Haaland’s connection to his roots in the municipality of approximately 20,000 residents.
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