If you ask Americans, Norway's Erling Haaland is already a winner
Norwegian footballer Erling Haaland has gained significant popularity in the United States, transcending his reputation as a top-tier athlete to become a cultural icon. His candid social media presence and viral vlogs have helped him build a massive new fan base among American audiences.
Why it matters
Haaland's ability to bridge the gap between elite sports performance and social media personality demonstrates the changing nature of athlete branding in the digital age.
Image source, Getty Images By Rebecka Pieder Published 1 hour ago America loves Erling Haaland, and the feeling is mutual.
The Norwegian striker is everywhere these days. Yes, he's in the running for top scorer at the Fifa World Cup alongside Messi and Mbappe. Yes, he's one of the world's highest-paid athletes and was the Premier League's top scorer last season.
But that's probably not where most Americans know him from. He's a social media sensation.
Haaland has gone viral for his goofy Snapchat stories, unfiltered interviews and candid vlogs. He posts selfies using the Shrek filter, captioned "selfie with my twin".
He replies directly to fans with crying-laughing emojis. He accidentally misspells Orlando as "Ornaldo", before apologising to all the "perfect brothers and sisters out there" for his mistake – all while staring blankly into the camera.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in