Soccer Star Erling Haaland Donates Historic Viking Manuscript to Hometown Library

Norwegian footballer Erling Haaland, along with his father Alf-Inge Haaland, has gifted a rare 16th-century manuscript containing Viking sagas to his hometown municipality of Time in southwestern Norway. The manuscript, a first printed edition of Snorri Sturluson's chronicles translated into Norwegian-Danish by Mattis Størssøn, was acquired for 1.3 million Norwegian crowns (approximately $134,000) through SD Auction in late 2025, setting a record for a book sale in Norway. The purchase was made from Norwegian businessman and bibliophile Johan Fredrik Odfjell, with the donation announced by Time Municipality on March 24. The only surviving copy of the two-volume 1594 work must be permanently displayed and accessible to the public at the Bryne library under the gift's conditions. Haaland expressed his desire for the book to remain open for reading, emphasizing that local residents might feel more connected to the stories when they recognize familiar places and people. Snorri Sturluson, a 13th-century Icelandic poet and politician, authored writings on Norse mythology and history that continue to influence Scandinavian culture. Mattis Størssøn, a 16th-century law official from Norway's southwest, was among the first to translate Old Norse into modern language, including additional sagas like Sverri's saga and Hákon Hákonarson's saga in this edition, which was printed in Denmark two decades after his death. Time Municipality's mayor, Andreas Vollsund, thanked the Haalands for the generous contribution, highlighting its potential to foster a love of reading among youth. As part of the donation, the municipality has initiated a reading competition for middle and lower school classes, with the winner receiving an invitation to watch the Norwegian national team play at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo. Haaland, who is scheduled to compete for Norway in the 2026 World Cup across Mexico, Canada, and the United States, noted that books offer opportunities for dreaming and exploration beyond sports. This act underscores the intersection of cultural heritage preservation and community engagement through literary artifacts.