Alexander Sørloth: Powerful Rise of a Norwegian Football Star

From Trondheim beginnings to Atlético Madrid and Norway’s international stage

Topic Mint Editorial Team September 3, 2026

0 5 8 minutes read

Introduction

Alexander Sørloth is a Norwegian professional footballer whose career has taken him across several of Europe’s leading football leagues. Born in Trondheim on December 5, 1995, he developed through the youth system at Rosenborg before beginning a journey that eventually took him to England, Turkey, Germany and Spain. He currently represents Atlético Madrid and the Norway national team.

Table of Contents

Sørloth is recognized for his physical strength, aerial ability, movement and powerful left foot. His career has not always followed a straightforward path, and some early spells were less successful than others, but his performances in Turkey and Spain helped establish him as an important Norwegian footballer at the highest level.

Quick Bio

Detail	Information
Full Name	Alexander Sørloth
Date of Birth	December 5, 1995
Birthplace	Trondheim, Norway
Nationality	Norwegian
Profession	Professional Footballer
Position	Forward
Height	195 cm
Weight	94 kg
Preferred Foot	Left
Current Club	Atlético Madrid
Shirt Number	9
Father	Gøran Sørloth
National Team	Norway
Youth Clubs	Strindheim, Rosenborg
Major Breakthrough	Trabzonspor
Major Spanish Clubs	Real Sociedad, Villarreal, Atlético Madrid

Atlético Madrid’s official profile lists Sørloth at 195 centimetres and 94 kilograms and describes him as a strong forward particularly gifted in the air and dangerous with his left foot.

Early Life and Family Background

Alexander Sørloth was born and raised in Trondheim, Norway, a city with a strong football tradition. His early development took place at Strindheim before he joined the youth structure of Rosenborg, one of Norway’s most successful football clubs. His football education at Rosenborg provided an important foundation for his eventual professional career.

Football was also an important part of his family background. His father, Gøran Sørloth, was a former Norwegian international and striker who represented Norway at the 1994 FIFA World Cup. This connection gave Alexander a particularly strong link to Norwegian football history and later made his own international career an interesting continuation of the family story.

Beginning His Professional Career

Sørloth made his senior debut for Rosenborg in 2013. His first-team opportunity came in a Europa League qualifying match, and he immediately made an impression by scoring. However, establishing himself as a regular first-team player at Rosenborg was not simple, so his career continued elsewhere.

In 2015, he joined Bodø/Glimt, where he received more opportunities to demonstrate his ability. This period became an important early step because regular first-team football allowed him to develop his confidence, physical game and goalscoring skills before moving abroad.

Groningen and Midtjylland

Sørloth moved to the Netherlands and joined Groningen, gaining experience in the Eredivisie. The move introduced him to a different style of football and gave him valuable exposure outside Norway. Although this period did not produce the same scoring numbers as some of his later campaigns, it contributed to his development as a professional forward.

He subsequently joined Danish club Midtjylland. During the 2017–18 season, he produced stronger attacking numbers and helped the club win the Danish Superliga. Atlético Madrid’s career profile lists Midtjylland among the important stages of his professional path and records the Danish title among his honors.

Crystal Palace and a Difficult Period

Sørloth’s performances in Denmark attracted Premier League attention, leading to his move to Crystal Palace. Playing in England placed him in one of the world’s most competitive football environments, but the spell did not develop as successfully as he would have hoped.

The difficult period was nevertheless useful for his long-term development. Instead of allowing limited opportunities to stop his progress, Sørloth continued his career through loan and transfer moves. He also spent time with Gent before heading to Turkey, where his career changed dramatically. Atlético Madrid’s official career history records his progression through Crystal Palace and Gent before his move to Trabzonspor.

Trabzonspor Breakthrough

Trabzonspor became one of the defining chapters of Sørloth’s career. During the 2019–20 season, the Norwegian striker developed into one of the most productive forwards in Turkish football.

His goals helped him become the Süper Lig’s leading scorer, while he also contributed strongly across other competitions. The period gave Sørloth international recognition and demonstrated that he could combine his physical qualities with consistent finishing. His success also helped Trabzonspor win the 2019–20 Turkish Cup.

This was a major positive turning point in his career. His earlier struggles in England had shown the difficult side of professional football, but his Turkish breakthrough proved that persistence could lead to a much bigger opportunity.

RB Leipzig and Real Sociedad

Following his impressive season in Turkey, Sørloth moved to Germany to join RB Leipzig. The transfer represented another significant step because Leipzig were competing at a high level domestically and in European football.

His time in Germany was followed by loan periods with Real Sociedad. The Spanish experience was particularly valuable because it introduced him to LaLiga football and allowed him to continue developing his understanding of movement, positioning and attacking combinations. Atlético Madrid’s official profile records both Leipzig and Real Sociedad as key stages in his career path.

Villarreal and His Spanish Breakthrough

Sørloth joined Villarreal in 2023 and produced one of the strongest scoring periods of his career. His performances in LaLiga established him as a dangerous striker capable of competing successfully against some of Europe’s strongest defensive teams.

During his Villarreal campaign, Atlético Madrid recorded 26 goals and six assists in 41 matches. His finishing, physical presence and movement made him an important attacking player and helped create the conditions for another major transfer.

Move to Atlético Madrid

On August 3, 2024, Atlético Madrid announced an agreement with Villarreal for Sørloth’s transfer. He signed a four-year contract with the Madrid club. Atlético presented him as a physically powerful forward with particular strengths in aerial play and left-footed finishing.

Joining Atlético Madrid represented the culmination of years of development across different countries and football cultures. His experience in Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, England, Belgium, Turkey, Germany and Spain had prepared him for another demanding stage of his career.

Playing Style and Strengths

Sørloth’s 195-centimetre frame is an important part of his playing style. He can compete with defenders in the air, protect the ball and provide a target for teammates when Atlético need to move the ball forward quickly. His left foot also gives him a strong finishing option around the penalty area.

He is not simply a traditional target striker. His movement allows him to attack spaces behind defenders, while his physical presence can occupy central defenders and create room for other attackers. His ability to combine strength, movement and finishing has become one of the defining features of his career.

Record-Breaking Performance Against Real Sociedad

One of Sørloth’s most memorable Atlético Madrid performances came against his former club Real Sociedad in May 2025. He scored four goals in the match and produced an exceptionally fast hat-trick.

The performance became historically significant because his three-goal sequence was completed in 3 minutes and 57 seconds, establishing the fastest hat-trick in Spanish top-flight history according to Store norske leksikon. It was one of the clearest demonstrations of his ability to turn opportunities into goals in a very short period.

Champions League Success

Sørloth also produced an important European performance in 2026. Atlético Madrid recorded his hat-trick against Club Brugge during the Champions League knockout phase, helping the Spanish club secure a 4–1 victory.

The performance added another major achievement to his growing European career. His ability to score at important moments has increasingly become a feature of his reputation at Atlético Madrid.

Norway National Team Career

Sørloth made his senior Norway debut in May 2016 against Portugal. His international career developed gradually before he became an established part of Norway’s attacking options.

Representing Norway has also connected him with his father’s football legacy. Gøran Sørloth appeared for Norway at the 1994 World Cup, while Alexander later represented the country at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Atlético Madrid confirmed Sørloth’s participation in Norway’s World Cup campaign, including appearances during the tournament.

Career Timeline

Year	Career Milestone
2013	Senior debut with Rosenborg
2015	Played for Bodø/Glimt
2015–2017	Groningen
2017–2018	Midtjylland
2017–2019	Crystal Palace
2018–2019	Gent
2019–2020	Trabzonspor
2020–2023	RB Leipzig
2021–2023	Real Sociedad spells
2023–2024	Villarreal
2024	Joined Atlético Madrid
2025	Scored record-fast hat-trick against Real Sociedad
2026	Scored Champions League hat-trick and represented Norway at World Cup

Atlético Madrid’s official career profile confirms the sequence of clubs from Rosenborg through Atlético Madrid.

Major Achievements

Sørloth’s career honors include the 2017–18 Danish Superliga with Midtjylland and the 2019–20 Turkish Cup with Trabzonspor. His individual achievements include becoming a leading scorer in Turkey and producing outstanding scoring performances in Spain.

His fastest Spanish top-flight hat-trick and Champions League hat-trick are particularly memorable individual achievements. Together, these moments demonstrate how his career developed from a promising Norwegian youngster into an experienced European striker.

Current Career

As of September 2026, Sørloth remains an Atlético Madrid forward. The club’s recent information confirms his continued involvement with the first-team squad and his participation in Norway’s 2026 World Cup campaign.

His current career represents the strongest stage of a journey that began in Trondheim. Although his path included difficult periods, his performances in Turkey and Spain helped him reach one of Europe’s biggest clubs and become an important Norwegian footballer.

Personal Life and Public Image

Sørloth’s public profile is primarily centered on football. His professional identity has been shaped by his performances for clubs and Norway rather than by a large public entertainment profile.

His family connection to former Norway international Gøran Sørloth is one of the most notable parts of his personal background. Beyond that football connection, Sørloth has generally been known publicly through his sporting career and his work on the pitch.

Conclusion

Alexander Sørloth’s career is a story of persistence, adaptation and progression. From his beginnings in Trondheim and the Rosenborg youth system to successful periods with Trabzonspor and Villarreal, he gradually built the experience needed to compete at the highest level. His difficult spells in England and Germany show that his journey was not always easy, but those challenges became part of his development as a professional.

Today, Sørloth stands as an established Norwegian footballer and Atlético Madrid forward. His powerful style, aerial ability, left-footed finishing and important goals have created a distinctive career, while his record-breaking hat-trick and Champions League achievements have added memorable chapters to his football story.