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Erling Haaland has experienced various levels of fame. His father, affectionately known as Alfie Haaland, played for the Norway national team and Manchester City, so little Erling was born into people caring about his last name, at the very least.
And then he emerged as a generational talent himself, following in his father’s footsteps to Manchester City and winning three of the past four English Premier League Golden Boots. He has been beloved in world football for years, as one of the world’s best strikers and one of the world’s best internet personalities in equal measure, before the 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup.
During his debut World Cup, Haaland simultaneously led Norway to their first men’s World Cup quarterfinal appearance and became one of the most famous people alive.
“I’m quite happy with my life,” Haaland said in his final World Cup presser following Norway’s loss to England on July 11. “I’m enjoying it. I’m in a good place.”
By the looks of it, Haaland is happier than ever on his 26th birthday.
“26 years. Nice [thumbs up emoji],” Haaland captioned an Instagram photo of him smiling on a boat while wearing a Viking hat.
“Thanks everyone for the love [crying-laughing emoji, red heart emoji],” Haaland captioned a separate Instagram post. “Life has changed forever! And I love it! Peace out.”
As of this writing, the two posts have combined to generate over six million likes.
Just 11 days ago, Haaland celebrated hitting 60 million Instagram followers, and by July 21, he has hit 73.8 million followers. There’s zero reason to conclude that tally won’t continue climbing.
Haaland finished his debut World Cup — Norway’s first time qualifying for the men’s World Cup since 1998 — with seven goals in five matches. Norway as a team captured the zeitgeist, along with their fans, for their viral “Viking Row” ritual and overall wholesome approach to the world’s best tournament.
The next men’s World Cup isn’t until 2030, but Haaland will be back on the pitch for Man City in a few short weeks.
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