Erling Haaland's Norway were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup, losing 1-2 to England in extra time. The striker, who scored 7 goals in the tournament, watched the decisive match from the bench. Yet he became the undisputed star of social media.
Haaland's internet fame is rooted in his unique appearance and behavior. At 195 cm tall, with long blonde hair tied in a bun, he is a natural meme. The simplest meme compared him to a green onion, with his hair resembling the white part and the bun the green top. Comparisons to Shrek also went viral, with Haaland himself calling the character his twin.
AI-generated videos became a separate industry. Digital Haaland eats a giant bun, dances, transforms into a Viking, and appears in absurd situations. These videos garnered millions of views. His "Well well well" selfie after beating Brazil became the most viral image of the tournament.
Haaland doppelgangers emerged worldwide. Russian model Anastasia Kostromitina copied his walk and expressions, amassing over 110 million views. Swedish model Julia Grop and American stylist Emma Kate Willman also gained fame for their resemblance. Haaland himself commented "Hi" under Willman's video.
The Viking Row celebration, where the team mimics rowing, became a global trend. Google added a Viking animation when searching Haaland's name. The footballer wrote: "One thing for today — find my name on Google."
Haaland was dubbed "Babygirl" and "Norwegian princess," highlighting the contrast between his on-field dominance and off-field awkwardness. His hairstyle became a meme and a business — he is co-owner of the hair tie brand Kknekki.
His walk also became a meme. He moves with a detached expression, as if unaware of his surroundings. Users imitate his long strides and blank face. The phrase "Braut summer" (from his mother's maiden name) became a play on Charli XCX's "Brat summer."
The song "Haaland (Ha Ha Ha)" to the tune of "Moskau" became his unofficial anthem. A video of him neatly folding his jersey reinforced his image as a humble, considerate person.
In the quarter-final, Haaland faced former Borussia Dortmund teammate Jude Bellingham, who scored the winning goal. Haaland failed to score for the first time in 16 matches and was substituted due to fatigue and a leg injury.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney jokingly asked to "borrow" Haaland for the next World Cup, underscoring his status as a pop culture phenomenon.
Source: podrobno.uz