From chilly outpost to Europe's hottest talent

Local pride

Although the building wasn't heated, the roof provided a welcome respite from the winter snow or frost that ruled out street games.

"Jaerhallen gave birth to a lot of talent in Bryne that would not have been born if the hall had not existed," Andrea's father Stig Norheim, himself a former player, told AFP.

"You could go and train there at any time. On weekends, young people would go there at nine or 10 in the morning with their packed lunch and stay there until eight in the evening," he said.

Jaerhallen may not be an eye-catching facility, but it boasts a pretty impressive record－and the hours the kids invested in organizing their own training sessions paid off.

Of the 40 youngsters, five of them－including Haaland and Norheim－ended up playing for Norway's national squads.

On the sunny day that AFP visited the facility, teenagers were kicking the ball around on the open-air field next door. Their local pride was evident, albeit subtly.

Asked who the best soccer player in the world is, they answered "Messi" and "Ronaldo". But who's most promising?"Erling!"

"I'm very inspired by him,"18-year-old Malin Amilie Liland said.

"The fact that he comes from such a small place and plays for such a big club shows that everything is possible."

AFP