Haaland’s goalscoring record for Norway is nothing short of phenomenal.
He has hit 55 goals in 48 matches for his country.
And in fact he is only the sixth player ever, and the first in 53 years, to score 50 goals in fewer than 50 caps.
Norway’s previous top scorer was 33-goal Jorgen Juve, who held that record for 90 years.
In these qualifiers he scored 16 goals – in eight games – plus two assists. That is double the goals tally anyone else has scored in Europe.
He is the top scorer in these qualifiers in any continent, including ones where teams play twice as more games.
Over a year has passed since Haaland last failed to score in a game for Norway.
Including games for City Haaland has scored 32 goals in 20 games this season.
But it is not just a one-man show.
Captain Martin Odegaard, 26, has more assists than anyone else in European qualifying – seven.
The Arsenal midfielder has played 67 times for Norway since making his debut at the age of 15.
“Combine Haaland’s success with the fact that in this generation we also have Martin Odegaard,” said Sivertsen.
“We’re a country of five million people and we have both the best striker and I would argue the best playmaker, certainly one of the best playmakers, in the Premier League.
“Realistically that will not happen again in my lifetime and it’s something that I am cherishing.
“If we have this conversation in five years I’d be baffled if there wasn’t a consensus that these are the two best footballers we’ve ever had.”
But Sivertsen added: “I think the group of players we have would have had a shot at qualifying without him.”
He compared Haaland and Odegaard’s standing to that of Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey when Wales got to the semi-finals at Euro 2016.
“That team doesn’t work in the same way without Ashley Williams and Ben Davies at the back, without Joe Allen, without Joe Ledley,” he said.
“Guys like this were absolutely integral for that team to work. You have to have a support structure around these stars to give them a platform to do special things.”
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