When TV host James Corden found himself struggling in a table tennis challenge against football superstar Erling Haaland, he brought on a substitute – English national champion Dimitar Dimitrov.

Corden was competing in a series of challenges against Haaland to see if he could crack the aura of invincibility around the Norwegian striker – one of the world’s best players.

The Haaland versus Corden segment was part of Corden’s show FIFA World Cup on Fox After Hours, airing on US television.

As well as challenges such as cake decorating, chess and a reaction test, Corden took on Haaland at table tennis.

But before they could get into the contest, Corden claimed an injury and revealed he had lined up Cadet national champion and multiple WTT medallist Dimitar, aged 13, to play on his behalf.

Check out the film below to see what happened when Erling met Dimitar . . .

The segment was filmed in Manchester – where Haaland plays his club football for Manchester City – before the World Cup got under way in USA, Canada and Mexico last month.

Dimitar was ‘scouted’ for the role by the TV production company, who contacted Table Tennis England asking to be put in touch.

“I’m not really a football fan but I definitely knew who he was, of course he’s one of the most famous footballers,” said Dimitar. “It was nice to get the opportunity.

“The skit was like ‘a giant Norwegian plays against a tiny kid and the tiny kid absolutely destroys the giant guy’. That was the joke.

“I went into the game knowing that he had some good coordination, but it still surprised me he could return a few balls and he could read the spin. It’s probably a bit late for him to start, but he could reach a solid level.”

Sticking to his ‘day-job’, Haaland has scored five times so far in the World Cup, helping Norway to reach the last 16, where they will meet Brazil on Sunday.