Erling Haaland’s love for Indian food revealed
Find out which Indian dishes the Norway striker loves, having also played against India
Cristiano Ronaldo has played his last World Cup match at 41, Lionel Messi is already 39 and likely playing his last as well. And while the GOAT debate among passionate football fans in India will continue to rage, there is a new 25-year-old kid in town who is taking over dinnertime conversations in Indian households.
Norway’s super-striker Erling Haaland, who was joint-goalscoring leader on 7 goals alongside Messi and Kylian Mbappe ahead of the Argentina-Egypt Round of 16 clash, has suddenly become a big favourite among football fans in India, especially the Gen Z. On Monday, Indian social media and websites went to town over a video of the towering striker talking about his love for Indian food.
In a December 2024 Instagram video on Premier League India’s handle, Haaland said: “I love Indian food to be honest. I love the lamb chops and the butter chicken. That’s my two favourites and the garlic naan.”
Whether he's in the UK playing for Manchester City or back home in Norway, Haaland is known to frequently enjoy Indian cuisine as ‘cheat meals’ despite his rigorous athletic diet.
But his association with India dates back earlier than that. In June 2016, Norway U16 played an exhibition match against the India U17 team in Norway as hosts India prepared for the under-17 World Cup that year. The home team won 2-0, with a young Haaland scoring the opening goal in the 57th minute. While Norway were not part of the U17 World Cup itself, the striker did provide Indian fans who follow the game avidly, glimpses of what he was capable of at 15 years of age.
As Norway gear up for the Fifa World Cup 2026 quarter-finals against England, football fans in India will have more to cheer about, having already seen three players of Indian origin play their part in this year’s showpiece with another being selected in his nation’s squad.
