Haaland returns from FIFA Word Cup with raccoon, breaks the internet

Erling Haaland The World Cup may have ended in a quarter-final heartbreaker on the field, but the Norwegian talisman still managed to grab the headlines. Not because of a record transfer, or amazing goals, but because of a $750 raccoon clutching a bottle of whiskey.

When the charter flight carrying the Norwegian national team touched down at Oslo airport after their extra-time defeat to England, the waiting media expected a somber, exhausted team. Instead, they got a viral masterpiece.

Haaland stepped onto the tarmac, flanked by teammates, carrying a designer travel bag in his left hand and a stuffed glass-eyed raccoon mounted on a wooden block with his right arm, forever frozen in the act of drinking liquor. Taxidermy is the art of preserving and stuffing the skins of dead animals to make them look alive.

The bizarre load immediately took social media by storm and sparked an online sensation that overshadowed even the tactical post-mortems about Norway’s departure.

The origin of the rodent, now affectionately nicknamed “Whiskey Raccoon”, dates back to Norse’s stay in Texas. After theirs 32nd triumph over Ivory Coastthe laid-back Norwegian squad visited Wild Bill’s Western Store, a landmark boutique in downtown Dallas. Amidst the 10-gallon hats and hand-stitched cowboy boots, Haaland clearly had his eye on the new taxidermy.

Haaland teased the purchase earlier this month by sharing a Snapchat video of a stuffed raccoon inside the store before finally deciding to buy it.

According to store staff, the Manchester City striker was immediately charmed by the bizarre piece of Americana and bought it on the spot. While teammates bought traditional boots and belts, Haaland decided to transport the preserved mammal through team hotels, team buses and eventually international airspace.

True to his tall personality, the attacker made no attempt to hide his new companion.

Haaland shared a picture of himself and a stuffed raccoon on his social media channels, captioning it simply: “He followed me home.”

CAN YOU NAME HAALAND’S RACCOON?

The striker has been keeping the online frenzy going ever since, launching a poll on Instagram to name his new mascot. Fans are currently voting on four Texas-themed options: Cowboy, Ranger, TEX, and the front-runner, ROW (short for Raccoon on Wheels). Screenshot from Haaland’s Instagram story

The “Haaland effect” hit the retail world with its usual speed. Within hours of the image going viral, Wild Bill reported a complete sell-out of their dispensary stock, with fans scrambling to buy $750 worth of souvenir replicas.

Although Norway missed out on the semi-finals, Haaland secured a crushing victory in the battle for the most memorable moment of the tournament.

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Issued by:

Akshay Ramesh

Published on:

14 Jul 2026 14:05 IST