Erling Haaland arrives with raccoon as Norway World Cup heroes receive royal Viking homecoming from 90,000 fans
The raccoon instantly became the unexpected star of Norway’s homecoming celebrations
Some of the most popular tweets and comments on the internet surrounding Erling Haaland read: Two weeks ago, I didn't even know about him. Now I'm crying about Norway being eliminated.
Cue the song...Haaland, Haaland.
Well, Haaland returned to Norway as a national hero this week, but apart from his record-breaking campaign that dominated discussion, the Manchester City striker also arrived home carrying perhaps the strangest souvenir from North America: a taxidermied raccoon clutching an empty bottle.
Yes, you read that right.
As Haaland stepped off the plane in Oslo on Monday following Norway’s historic World Cup run, he walked down the stairs holding the unusual keepsake, leaving fans and teammates amused. The mysterious raccoon instantly became the unexpected star of Norway’s homecoming celebrations, even alongside one of the greatest football achievements in the country’s history.
Haaland and his teammates were greeted by tens of thousands of supporters after Norway reached the men’s World Cup quarterfinals for the first time ever. Their memorable campaign saw them defeat five-time champions Brazil in the round of 16 before their journey ended with a loss to England.
For Haaland, the tournament was another chapter in his rise to global superstardom. The striker scored seven goals during Norway’s first World Cup appearance in 28 years, further cementing his status as one of football’s biggest names.
The team’s Instagram footage captured the excitement even before they landed, with players and staff gathering at the plane windows to watch Norwegian military jets escort them back to Oslo, where a royal welcome awaited.
Once on home soil, the celebrations were filled with Viking joy.
Members of Norway’s royal household joined thousands of fans for the famous “Viking Row”, the chant-and-drum tradition that became one of the team’s signatures during the tournament. Crown Prince Haakon led the celebration by beating a drum, mirroring the role played by captain Martin Ødegaard and Haaland after Norway’s World Cup victories.
The festivities continued with an open-top bus parade, as players and supporters celebrated a summer that will be remembered as a landmark moment for Norwegian football.
Norway’s dream run came to an end after Jude Bellingham’s extra-time goal in Miami sent England through to the semifinals, where they will face Argentina on Wednesday.
