The Americans have been impressed by Norway, with “Viking Rowing”, how many followers football stars have on Instagram and Erling Haaland’s physique and blonde hair.
They have not seen anyone like it before, in a short time Erling Haaland has gained a million new followers on Instagram and is now up to 68.8 million. The number of followers was for most Americans more impressive than what happens on the field.
Arsenal could ‘sacrifice’ Viktor Gyökeres in spectacular swap
This has led the Los Angeles Times to write oops the Norwegian phenomet!
Norway’s star Erling Haaland went home from the United States with seven World Cup goals in his luggage – and a number of unforgettable souvenirs. A stuffed “Whiskey Raccoon” and two stuffed squirrels have now become global bestsellers, after the world star stopped by a western store in Dallas.
Erling Haaland is a character. Hardcore football fans already knew that. The rest of the world definitely experienced it during Norway’s journey to the World Cup quarter-finals.
When the team’s plane landed at Oslo Airport on Monday, the 196-centimeter-tall striker walked out with an unusual carry-on bag under his arm: A stuffed raccoon holding onto an empty liquor bottle. “It followed me home,” Haaland wrote on Instagram.
Shopping trip in Dallas became viral sensation
The purchase was made during the team’s stay in Dallas for the round of 32 against Ivory Coast on June 30. After the 2-1 victory, Norway’s all-time top scorer decided to add some Texas style to the locker room.
“I just want a cowboy hat,” Haaland said in a video on his YouTube channel. “That’s all I want.”
He got far more than that. During a 90-minute visit to Wild Bill’s Western Store, Haaland shopped for boots, hats, belts, buckles, T-shirts and western shirts. But it was the stuffed animals that would become history.
Tom Holland admits he was humiliated – Erling Haaland never responded to the invitation
Whiskey Raccoon and Sheriff Squirrel
Shop owner Julie Newport tells The Times that Haaland spotted the party-loving raccoon and had to have it. He also bought two stuffed squirrels – one dressed as a sheriff, and one posing as if it were drinking from a Budweiser can.
The price? $750 for the raccoon and $450 for each squirrel. Usually, the stuffed items were not big sellers. People liked to stop by and take pictures with them. But after Haaland’s visit, everything has changed.
“Now they are sold out and sought after,” says Newport. Three raccoons have already been ordered, and the store has opened international shipping for the first time – to Norway, Germany, the UK, Brazil and Australia.
Other items Haaland showed off in the YouTube video are also sold out: a gray Stetson Brenham cowboy hat, Dan Post python boots and a T-shirt that reads “Y’all Can Kiss My Dallas.”
From Leeds to superstar
Haaland was born in Leeds to Norwegian parents and moved to his hometown of Bryne when he was three years old. Since 2022, he has played for Manchester City and won the Premier League’s Golden Boot three of the last four seasons – with 27 goals in the 2025/26 season.
During the World Cup, he gained a massive fan base in the United States. Seven goals in five games, quirky Instagram posts and an unusual personality made him one of the tournament’s big profiles. Few were surprised when Haaland asked his followers for help in naming “my new buddy” – the raccoon. Options: Cowboy, Ranger, Tex or R.O.W. (Raccoon On Wheels).
“I think it’s a good thing because I like the Americans,” Haaland said of his newfound popularity in the United States.
“I think they’re pretty funny. I like how they are.
Erling Haaland has become a social media sensation!
John Arne Riise agrees! Perfect with Alexander Sørloth’s duel against Erling Haaland in the Premier League
