Haaland's Cousin Bræchte Brunes Joins Sparta Prague

2026-07-27

In an official announcement, Norwegian forward Jonathan Bræchte Brunes has officially joined Sparta Prague, becoming the cousin of Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland.

Sparta Prague Official Statement

Over the past two seasons in the Polish Ekstraklasa, Bræchte Brunes has scored an impressive total of 30 goals. During his time with Czestochowa, he also made a significant impact in the UEFA Europa Conference League. In the future, he will continue to showcase his talent at Sparta Prague's home ground, Letna Stadium.

Sparta Prague's sporting director, Tomáš Rosický, commented: "Jonathan has scored 40 goals across all competitions in the past two seasons, proving himself to be a proven finisher. He possesses a variety of striking techniques and skills, allowing him to adapt to different tactical formations and meet the demands of various opponents. He excels at finding space between the lines and contributes superbly to the team's attacking play, while also being adept at timing his runs past the offside line."

Jonathan's football career began in Norway at Bryne. In the spring of 2016, he made his debut for the senior team as a youth player at just 15 years of age. Despite an early start, his professional journey has had its challenges. Since January 2021, Bræchte Brunes has played for Lillestrøm, where he scored on his debut but was subsequently loaned back to a lower division to regain form. Eventually, his performances at Står led Stormsgodset to purchase his contract. During this time, he gradually found his rhythm, scoring 14 goals and providing 3 assists in 33 appearances.

Bræchte Brunes spent a year at Belgian side OH Leuven, where he netted three goals. At the start of the 2024/25 season, he was loaned to Czestochowa, where he once again experienced a scoring surge that led to his permanent transfer. In the last season, he scored 26 goals for the team, highlighting his exceptional scoring ability.

Notably, Bræchte Brunes is part of a prominent footballing family. His sister, Emma, is also making her mark on the international stage, currently playing for Københavns Boldklub. In addition, another cousin, Albert Bræchte Tiålan, has previously spent four years with Molde.

We welcome Jonathan to the club and look forward to his exciting performances!