The first Normans arrived in Sicily in 1061, causing chaos among the local populace and initiating a protracted period of raids and conquests that culminated in the legendary reign of the Hauteville family and one of the most prosperous periods in the island's history. Nearly two thousand years later, one of their distant descendants returned to those shores, but this time in front of a large crowd of fans, both in person and via social media. Norwegian striker Erling Haaland landed in Catania to attend the Dolce & Gabbana fashion show, the day after his national team's run to the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup. It was an unexpected achievement, accompanied by an outpouring of affection from around the world for the "Viking" team, which before every match evoked the image of their ancestors rowing in rhythm to a drum beaten by Haaland himself. The Manchester City player will now have a well-deserved break on the Italian island, and who knows, he might even see some of the most stunning Norman buildings, such as the Cathedral of Sant'Agata in Catania and the exquisite "Palazzo dei Normanni" in Palermo.