Haaland's Surprising Online Persona
Erling Haaland Excels on Field, Embraces 'Babygirl' Persona Online
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Erling Haaland has scored seven goals in just four World Cup matches, leading Norway deeper into the 2026 FIFA World Cup than the country has gone since 1998. But the 6-foot-5 striker is making headlines off the pitch just as much as on it. AP News reports that Haaland has become a full-blown internet phenomenon, with millions of fans who have never watched a soccer match suddenly obsessed with the Norwegian forward.
The reason? Haaland is being called the internet's ultimate "babygirl" — a slang term for a male celebrity who seems tough or powerful but also comes across as sweet, goofy, or vulnerable. His flowing blond hair, pastel-colored hair ties, and Snapchat selfies stand in stark contrast to his brutal, machine-like play on the field. That gap between destroyer and dork has captured the internet's heart.
Seven Goals in Four Games Fuel Norway's Historic Run
Norway has not appeared at a World Cup since 1998. Haaland is single-handedly changing that legacy. He scored against Senegal in the group stage, then netted a match-winning goal in the 86th minute against Ivory Coast to win 2-1. In the Round of 16, he scored twice — including a stunning header — to shock powerhouse Brazil 2-1 and send Norway to the quarter-finals, according to AP News.
Now 25 years old with nearly 60 million Instagram followers, Haaland is carrying both his country and a massive online fanbase. Norway faces England in the quarter-finals. Haaland told reporters at a July 9 press conference that the tournament has been "amazing" and that American fans are "kind of hilarious" and "funny." He added that he likes "the way they are."
From Snapchat Filters to 'Pretty Norwegian Princess'
Off the pitch, Haaland posts goofy content — Snapchat-filtered selfies, comparisons of himself to the cartoon character Shrek, and lighthearted vlogs. That playful side has sparked hundreds of memes. An AI-generated video swapped his face onto a character from the comedy film *White Chicks*. Brazil star Vinicius Jr. got the same treatment. Both players laughed about it publicly on Instagram before facing each other in the Round of 16, according to AP News.
Hollywood actor Terry Crews even reacted to the clip online, pushing it far beyond soccer audiences. Haaland called the AI content "a bit scary" but said the viral attention on team traditions is "a sign of praise." A separate AI video — appearing to show him getting startled by his own reflection in a mirror — racked up millions of views before being debunked as a fake, according to The Independent.
New Fans Discover Soccer Through Haaland's Quirky Persona
Sarah Wilson, a 31-year-old baseball content creator in New York, had never been a soccer fan. Then she found Haaland. She made a viral video documenting her search for his jersey. "I love Erling Haaland more than life itself," she said in the clip. "I cannot fathom being such a pretty Norwegian princess and also being one of the best strikers in all of football." AP News highlighted her story as a prime example of Haaland's crossover appeal.
Dr. Jeffrey Kassing, a sports communication professor at Arizona State University, says athletes like Haaland represent a big shift. "There used to be a whole lot of gatekeeping" around athletes, he told AP News, noting that fans once only heard from players in press conferences. Now, Haaland posts directly to millions of followers, shaping his own story without any filter.
Parasocial Bonds and the Dark Side of Hyper-Fandom
Dr. Gayle Stever, a psychologist at Empire State University who studies fan-celebrity relationships, says most of these connections are "positive, healthy, and normal." Fans feel like they know Haaland personally — but it is a one-way relationship. With 60 million followers, he cannot know them back, she noted in comments reported by AP News.
But not everyone sees the online frenzy as harmless. Skyla Clarke, a 19-year-old sports management student in Brisbane, warns of the "uglier side" of intense fan culture. She points out how quickly online praise can flip into cyberbullying and attacks against players — and even their families — after a bad game. As Haaland's profile grows, so does the pressure that comes with it.
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