“Rest in Peace”- Erling Haaland Mourns the Passing of His ‘Uncle’ as Jack Grealish & Fans Pay Condolences
In 2022, when Erling Haaland signed with the City, Ivar Eggja made sure the soccer player moved into a fully furnished apartment and a had a well-stocked fridge
Erling Haaland is grappling with a heartbreaking personal loss as he mourns the passing of his beloved uncle, Ivar Eggja. The news came just as the Manchester City striker prepared to return to England for Premier League action after representing Norway during the September window. Upon sharing this devastating news publically, Haaland received an outpour of condolences from teammates including Jack Grealish and his beloved fans.
Unveiling more about Ivar Eggja, he was no less than a best friend to Erling. He was the best man when Erling’s father Alf-Inge tied the knot with Erling’s mother, Gry Marita. But Uncle Eggja had a remarkable relationship with the 24-year-old striker; not only because of the bond he maintained with the striker’s father, but also because he was the chief fixer for Team Haaland.
Just like Alf-Inge worked as an agent of his star son, Ivar’s job was to help Haaland with even the slightest of things. For instance, at the time the Norwegian international signed for Manchester City, Uncle Eggja ensured that Erling moved into a fully furnished apartment to make the player feel him home. Similar was the case when Haaland had signed for Borussia Dortmund.
In an interview compiled by the Athletic, Haaland once revealed, “I think if I had been all alone and had to choose my own apartment and go shopping in IKEA, I wouldn’t have scored three goals against Augsburg on my Dortmund debut.” It’s like letting their boy focus on scoring goals while he takes care of things outside the pitch.
Eggja essentially looked after everything throughout the years, including the mere technical details of online interviews with Erling, handling commercial partnerships, etc. In fact, Haaland’s uncle was often spotted at nearly every match the striker played in, frequently seen alongside Alf-Inge in the stands.
Uncle Eggja hailed from a business background in Erling’s birthplace Bryne. Aside from opening two shoe stores in the 1980s, he later co-founded a bar and restaurant with Alf-Inge, which sadly closed in 2014. Yet, that didn’t stop him from investing in Marbella’s nightlife where Haaland and his teammates often party.
Ivar Eggja also has experience in the shipping business which he looked after in Toronto, Canada. As a personal trainer, he often gave Erling some key advice on fitness and diet. The two shared a close, friendly relationship, and Eggja was even well-liked by Haaland’s friends. Unfortunately, he is no more as the announcement came just hours ago.
It was just the beginning of this year that saw Haaland mourn the loss of his grandmother and mother of Alfie Haaland, Tone Rasdal, who sadly passed away at the age of 80. In fact, her death while residing in the Sivdaheimen nursing home located in Bryne took place on the same day that Haaland faced Everton in the Premier League. That time, the former RB Salsburg man received an outpour of support from the soccer world and today is no different.
Soccer world joins Erling Haaland to pay tribute to Uncle Ivar
Erling Haaland shared the sad news with his 38.8 million Instagram followers. The 24-year-old posted a carousel of eight pictures, showcasing some beautiful moments he had shared with his Uncle Ivar. A few of the photos also featured his father, Alf-Inge Haaland, who was also a former soccer star.
Additionally, Haaland paid a tribute to Uncle Ivar with a caption In Norwegian. As translated by DeepL, he wrote, “What a legend you are Ivar. Words cannot describe how much you have meant to me! Words cannot describe how much you loved being missed! Give me more shit! Give me more shit! That’s exactly what I’m going to do. Thank you so much for everything, you maniac. May we meet again. Rest In Peace Ivar ❤️.”
Notably, the exact cause of Uncle Ivar’s passing is yet to be revealed. Haaland didn’t disclose the cause of the death while father Alfie is yet to break the silence of the passing of his brother-from-another-mother. However, the last photo of the carousal glimpsed Erling holding the hand of his uncle, who seemed to be lying on the hospital bed, suggesting Ivar was suffering from a long-term illness.
After Erling Haaland posted this message on the Meta-based platform, the news caught the eyes of the soccer world, who didn’t hesitate to rally around him during this difficult time.
Fellow Man City forward Jack Grealish commented on the post saying, “😢😢😢😢😢 RIP IVAR 😢🩵🙏🏻.”
The Sky Blues also sent a message to their talented striker, saying, “Rest in peace, Ivar 🩵.”
Even rival Premier League stars also came to express their condolences. Leicester City forward Patson Daka commented, “🙏🏾💐🕊️.”
Speaking of his former teammates, Aymeric Laporte, who moved to Al Nassr last season commented, “🙏❤️🕊️.” Meanwhile, from Borussia Dortmund, Jadon Sancho paid tribute with a red heart emoji.
Undoubtedly, Haaland paid a heartfelt tribute through his lengthy message, sharing moments he will cherish for the rest of his life. However, one fan has a brilliant suggestion for what would be the best way to honor Uncle Ivar:
“If you score a goal in the match, make a bird sign for your uncle.”
The loss of his grandmother was a particularly tough time in his life, and today’s news of his uncle’s passing is no different. Just as he needed emotional support then, Haaland once again requires the utmost support to perform at his best on the pitch during this heartbreaking moment. One fan beautifully wrote:
“He surely will be missed. His heart, his presence, his energy all filled up the room. Rest well my friend. 💔.”
The remaining comments also focused on paying tribute to Uncle Ivar. It is indeed a somber day for Haaland, and we hope he finds the strength to cope with this tragic loss and gradually move forward.
