Norway's Erling Haaland left World Cup with 7 goals, taxidermy raccoon
Norwegian soccer star Erling Haaland gained attention after Norway's World Cup exit for purchasing taxidermy animals, including a raccoon and squirrels, during a shopping trip in Texas. The items were part of a larger haul of Western-themed goods.
Why it matters
The story provides a human-interest angle on a high-profile athlete, contrasting professional sports performance with eccentric personal behavior.
Erling Haaland is a character. Hardcore soccer fans already knew that about the Premier League’s top scorer. Casual fans certainly found out during Norway's run to the World Cup quarterfinal round, where they lost 2-1 to England on Saturday. Case in point: After the team's plane landed at Oslo Airport on Monday, the 6-foot-5 striker with flowing blond hair stepped out with a rather unusual carry-on tucked under his left arm. It was a taxidermy raccoon clutching an empty liquor bottle. "It followed me home," Haaland wrote in an Instagram post that also included a photo of himself carrying his new prized possession. The stuffed creature was one of many purchases Haaland made during his team's stay in Dallas for its round of 32 game against Ivory Coast on June 30.
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