US media and the public affectionately dubbed Erling Haaland an "honorary citizen" after the Norwegian international continued to showcase American-themed souvenirs and pastimes, even after leaving the country and concluding his journey at the 2026 World Cup.
In a video posted on social media last week, the 25-year-old player appeared on a boat in a Norwegian fjord, golfing while listening to music by American country singer Ella Langley.
Commentator Matthew Reigle of OutKick, a sports news site part of the Fox News network, joked that the scene was "as American as it gets, if we ignore the scenery and the fact that he's writing temperatures in celsius instead of the wonderful fahrenheit scale like in America".
Upon his return to Oslo, Haaland also created a buzz on US social media when he showed off a stuffed raccoon holding a bottle of alcohol, a souvenir from Texas valued at about 750 USD. "It followed me home", he wrote.
Haaland also purchased two stuffed squirrels, each costing about 450 USD. These items appeared in a video from his official Snapchat account, which Barstool Sports later reshared.
"By this point, Erling Haaland is an honorary American citizen", the sports news site commented.
The video quickly garnered many humorous reactions. Some suggested that "honorary citizen" was insufficient, calling for the US to grant the striker full citizenship "without conditions".
Another fan suggested, "just give Haaland an American passport". "He's the most American person I've ever seen, even though he's actually Norwegian", a fan commented.
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Striker Erling Haaland at Oslo airport, Norway on 13/7. Photo: X/Erling Haaland |
Haaland's collection of souvenirs was acquired during a visit to a cowboy apparel store in central Texas. He visited the store with several Norwegian national team members and coaching staff just hours after their victory against Ivory Coast.
The group spent over 90 minutes exploring the store, selecting cowboy hats, beaver felt hats, boots, belts, belt buckles, and various other American Western-style products. In addition to the stuffed animals, the Norwegian striker also chose a shirt emblazoned with the phrase "Y'all Can Kiss My Dallas". The total bill was reportedly around 10.000 USD, which Haaland paid in full.
Ha Linh (According to Fox News, Daily Express, HITC)
