Erling Haaland has already secured one prize at the World Cup: the most viral player of the competition. The Norwegian striker, vying for the Golden Boot as top goalscorer, has seen his off-pitch content drive unprecedented social media engagement.
Social Media Explosion
In the first week of July, searches for "Haaland" entered the UK's top 10 platform searches on TikTok, increasing more than 300% week on week, making him the most searched-for World Cup player during that period. Searches for "Haaland best moments" spiked 1,300% week on week. Since the tournament began, over 14,000 #Haaland and #ErlingHaaland posts have been created, a nearly 500% increase month on month.
Despite 1.4 million total posts about him, Haaland still trails behind #Messi (25 million posts) and #Ronaldo (22.3 million posts).
Instagram and Snapchat Growth
On Instagram, Haaland's following grew from 40 million to 60 million during the World Cup, making him the fastest-growing major player. His Reels have been viewed more than 683 million times since the start of the tournament. On Snapchat, he has 4.7 million subscribers.
Haaland has entertained fans with posts including a mocked-up picture with the cartoon ogre Shrek captioned "Selfie with my twin," a photo of him undercover as a tourist in New York in a baseball cap and sunglasses, and swapping his Viking helmet for a cowboy hat while shopping in Texas.
Viral Moments and Sportsmanship
Videos of Haaland demonstrating sportsmanship have gone viral, including one where he folds and hands over a jersey to a kit man while other players throw theirs on the floor. His friendship with former Borussia Dortmund teammate Jude Bellingham has also captivated the internet, with some comparing them to rival hockey players from HBO's Heated Rivalry. As Norway prepares to face England, there are 1.3 million posts about Bellingham on TikTok, dwarfing England captain Harry Kane's 277,600.
An 18-year-old TikTok creator from the Netherlands made a video about Haaland and Bellingham shared over 100,000 times. She said, "I didn't know Haaland before this World Cup. I'm honestly not that into football except for World Cups and Euros. This year, it took over my FYP, especially Haaland and his funny moments and Snap stories."
Fan and Model Comparisons
Russian model Anastasia Kostromitina gained viral fame after her mother posted a video of her mimicking Haaland's poses, due to their resemblance. Kostromitina, who shares Haaland's long blond hair, blue eyes, and tall stature, said, "At first, I was a little bit confused, but then I realised being compared to such an amazing athlete is not offensive at all. He seems really humble."
Manchester City Fans React
Back in Manchester, City fans say the world is now seeing what they've witnessed for years. Dante Friend from the 1894 fan group said, "He is a great asset for our club. He's very active on social media, he follows the fan accounts, he's in touch with some of the main fans behind the scenes, so we really feel he's one of us."
Kevin Parker, general secretary of the Manchester City official supporters club, added, "He's an unbelievable footballer, but City fans have seen Erling as just a different sort of footballer—not in ability, but in personality. He just seems a genuinely likable guy. Now, because of the World Cup stage, other people are seeing what we've seen for three seasons."
Howard Cohen, chair of the Manchester City Disabled Supporters Association, noted, "When he first came, there was a public image of him being quiet and reserved. He's really come out of his shell. He doesn't take himself too seriously. That's what people love most: he can have a laugh and enjoy himself. He's picking up support worldwide and providing entertainment—that's what football should be about."
