Erling Haaland Brings Raccoon Home to Norway After World Cup
Erling Haaland’s contributions to the 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup came to an end when England beat Norway in the quarterfinal in Miami on Saturday, July 11.
But the Erling Haaland content machine is still firing on all cylinders.
The all-world Norway and Manchester City striker and his teammates arrived back home in Norway on Monday, July 13. The Norwegian men’s national team, a.k.a. the Herrelandslaget, posted an Instagram carousel showing the players deboarding their plan. Of course, Haaland’s photo generated the most interest, as he was photographed carrying a taxidermy raccoon.
“It followed me home [raccoon emoji, crying-laughing emoji],” Haaland posted on X.
“Erling Haaland has returned to Norway, and it looks like he brought home a $750 Whiskey Raccoon from Wild Bill’s Western Store in Dallas, Texas,” Joe Pompliano wrote. “What an authentic piece of American culture.”
Texas will always hold a special place in Haaland’s heart after Norway notched its first-ever World Cup knockout stage win over Côte d’Ivoire in the Round of 32 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on June 30.
Directly afterward, Haaland filmed his shopping excursion, resulting in a black cowboy hat, leather cowboy boots, and black tee that reads, “Y’ALL CAN KISS MY DALLAS.” Apparently, he also bagged a taxidermy raccoon at one point. That is certainly one way to commemorate your debut World Cup.
All told, Haaland scored seven goals across five matches, including an unforgettable brace in Norway’s upset win over Brazil in the Round of 16.
But now it’s down to the top-four squads in the official FIFA rankings. France and Spain will face off in the semifinal on Tuesday, July 14, and England will try to take out defending champion Argentina in the semifinal on Wednesday, July 15. The World Cup final will take place on Sunday, July 19. Haaland will almost assuredly commentate from afar on social media.
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This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 1:28 PM.