(Reuters) – Manchester City forward Erling Haaland said he wishes he could be at the Qatar World Cup but because Norway failed to qualify for the tournament, the 22-year-old will use the break to recharge for the rest of the Premier League season.
Haaland has enhanced his reputation as one of Europe’s top strikers following his move to City from Borussia Dortmund in the close season, scoring 18 goals in 13 league games and five goals in four Champions League matches.
But with Norway only finishing third in Group G of European World Cup qualifying behind the Netherlands and Turkey, Haaland will have to wait to add to his international tally of 21 goals.
“I wished I played in the World Cup of course, but that’s the reality now (that) I don’t do (that), but I will relax my body and my mind a lot and then I will train,” Haaland told reporters.
“What I will train on? Nothing special I think, it’s been going quite well my first months at City so I don’t need to do so many changes to be honest.
“It’s about preparing myself for the next half of the season and be ready when the next game kicks in after the break.”
Norway last qualified for the World Cup in 1998.
“The biggest thing we can do is to get to either a World Cup or a Euros,” Haaland said. “That’s of course is my goal with the national team to do. We know it’s difficult, but hopefully in the future one day I’ll be able to play there.”
Haaland said Brazil, Argentina, France and England were the favourites in Qatar, where the World Cup begins on Nov. 20.
“I cannot only say one, because there are so many good teams, so yeah, these four,” Haaland added.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)
