THE biggest tournament in football is upon us where 32 countries will battle it out for World Cup glory, yet some household names won’t feature in Qatar.
One of those is Manchester City star Erling Haaland who will be watching the action from home.
Haaland has hit the ground running in Manchester, scoring 18 goals since his arrival in the Premier League, including a hat-trick against rivals Manchester United.
The 22-year-old has also netted 21 goals in 23 matches for his national side, but won’t be able to extend that record at the World Cup.
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Why isn’t Haaland playing at the World Cup?
Haaland is unable to play in Qatar because Norway did not qualify for the tournament.
The Scandinavian side finished third in their group, five points behind leaders Netherlands, who they were unable to beat in their final qualifying bout.
Haaland was unavailable for the game which ultimately proved costly.
Despite their failure to qualify, the ex-Dortmund man still managed to notch five goals for his country, which he insisted was below par.
Fellow Norwegian Martin Odegaard will also miss out, with the Arsenal captain getting a well earned rest.
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An optimistic loan approach for Haaland by non-league Ashton United sent social media into frenzy recently.
But the offer was promptly turned down by the reigning Champions, meaning Haaland will have to wait until Boxing Day to get back on the pitch.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
