Stale Solbakken explains the instinct behind Erling Haaland’s incredible Norway record

Erling Haaland's remarkable goalscoring record for Norway has earned further praise from Stale Solbakken after the Manchester City striker took his international tally to 64 goals in just 56 appearances.

Haaland was again decisive against Denmark in the Nations League, but Solbakken believes statistics only tell part of the story. The Norway manager says his striker possesses an instinct for finding goals that simply cannot be taught.

While Haaland's pace and physical power are obvious weapons, Solbakken believes his anticipation inside attacking areas is what truly separates him from other forwards.

Speaking to TV2, Solbakken attempted to explain the natural qualities behind Haaland's extraordinary scoring numbers.

“He has something that cannot be trained,” the Norway manager said. “To think where the ball is coming, or where to run. It's something that sits in here.”

Solbakken pointed towards his nose and head while explaining what he believes is an instinctive ability to anticipate where opportunities will develop.

“It is not possible to explain, it is also not possible to learn. He was born with it. It's instinct,” he added.

“As a goalscorer, he is unique.”

Solbakken also believes Haaland has continued developing other areas of his game, arguing that his involvement in build-up play has improved alongside the physical attributes that have always made him dangerous.

Norway's approach is also designed to make the most of the attacking quality available to Solbakken.

The manager acknowledged that his aggressive setup can leave Norway vulnerable defensively, but he has no intention of sacrificing that identity purely to improve their clean-sheet record.

“This team here is not created to keep a clean sheet, it is created to score goals,” Solbakken explained.

“I don't want to take away from the team the identity that means we might take an extra risk.”

Set-piece coach Pal Fjelde also revealed Norway had studied Denmark's defensive structure closely, although executing those plans remained dependent on several elements working together.

With Haaland now sitting on an extraordinary 64 goals from 56 international appearances, Norway have the ultimate weapon for making those attacking risks worthwhile.

Haaland will look to extend his extraordinary international record as Norway continue their Nations League campaign.

For Manchester City, the encouraging part is that Solbakken believes the striker is still improving beyond his goals, adding further dimensions to a player already producing exceptional numbers for club and country.