Erling Haaland #9 of Norway poses for a portrait during the official FIFA World Cup 2026 portrait session on June 10, 2026 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
FIFA via Getty Images
On TikTok, Erling Haaland’s exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup marks the end of an era.
The 25-year-old Norway striker has gone relentlessly viral since becoming the break-out star of the World Cup, inspiring countless memes, edits and fan art.
For some, Norway’s inspiring underdog journey, along with Haaland’s talent and charisma, were the main motivation to keep watching—the striker seems to have singlehandedly created a new generation of fans.
After Norway’s loss to England on Saturday, TikTokers are mourning the sudden absence of Haaland content.
Haaland’s remarkable achievements—scoring no less than seven goals in four games, leading Norway into the quarterfinals for the first time in World Cup history, sparked a surge of attention and admiration, but the striker’s big personality cemented his status as a celebrity.
Haaland’s larger-than-life presence on the field carried over to the internet—the man is a natural social media star, often leaning into the memes and cracking jokes of his own.
Here are some of the best Haaland memes, in honor of his unforgettable run in the 2026 World Cup.
Haaland And Bellingham‘s ‘Heated Rivalry’
Prior to Norway’s loss to England, Haaland’s much-documented “bromance” with England midfielder Jude Bellingham sparked plenty of memes (and even erotic fan fiction), with Fujoshi fever sweeping the World Cup.
The two soccer superstars were formerly teammates at Dortmund (a German club in the Bundesliga league), and during their time playing together, developed a close friendship.
While both men are in relationships with women, intimate snapshots of the pair ignited the imagination of Heated Rivalry and Challengers fans, fueling a popular meme.
Haaland The Viking
Clips of Haaland (standing at a towering 6-foot-5) mowing through the field, launching the ball with powerful precision inspired content creators to depict the Norway striker as a modern-day Viking.
Haaland’s intense exercise regime, 6,000-calorie diet and propensity for chugging raw milk added to the Viking mythos—the man seems to have stepped out of Skyrim and onto the World Cup.
Hence, photos of the soccer star are often edited to include horned helmets and double-handed axes.
AI-Generated Haaland Edit Tricks Fans
While there are several clips of Haaland joking around, one viral piece of footage shared on social media is an AI-generated fiction.
The clip is taken from a TikTok comedy sketch from Chinese comedian Jin Long and altered using generative AI, replacing Long with Haaland.
Online, several commentators were under the impression that the footage was authentic, some fooled into thinking that Haaland really was startled by his own reflection.
Overall, the image of Haaland as a good sport and a positive, masculine role model elevated him into one of the biggest social media stars of the 2026 World Cup.
For fans, Norway’s loss to England was marked by severe disappointment, with missed opportunities, zero goals from Haaland and an underwhelming ending, as the star striker was benched for the final few minutes of the game due to exhaustion.
Norway might be officially out of the running, but the team made it farther than anyone expected.
Haaland’s legion of TikTok fans will have to wait until 2030, when the next World Cup might provide another window of opportunity for Norway’s star striker.