If you ask Americans, Norway's Erling Haaland is already a winner

Image source, Getty Images By Rebecka Pieder Published 1 hour ago America loves Erling Haaland, and the feeling is mutual. The Norwegian striker is everywhere these days. Yes, he's in the running for top scorer at the Fifa World Cup alongside Messi and Mbappe. Yes, he's one of the world's highest-paid athletes and was the Premier League's top scorer last season. But that's probably not where most Americans know him from. He's a social media sensation. Haaland has gone viral for his goofy Snapchat stories, unfiltered interviews and candid vlogs. He posts selfies using the Shrek filter, captioned "selfie with my twin". He replies directly to fans with crying-laughing emojis. He accidentally misspells Orlando as "Ornaldo", before apologising to all the "perfect brothers and sisters out there" for his mistake – all while staring blankly into the camera. There are few footballers of Haaland's calibre who have broken into the cultural zeitgeist quite like he has. Before the tournament, many knew him simply as a prolific goalscorer, or, perhaps, from the "imagine this Viking running at you full speed" memes. Now, he's gaining a whole new cohort of fans. Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Haaland was all smiles when he led Norway in their Viking-style "Ro!" chant following their victory against Brazil "I had no idea who he was," said Juliana Hofmann, who lives in Millington, New Jersey. She discovered the star after the Norwegians beat Brazil, and now her social media pages are full of Haaland content. "The way he carries himself is amazing, because despite being one of the biggest stars in the world of football, he's so humble," Hofmann said. His Instagram following has grown from 40 million to 60 million throughout the tournament. His vlogs, where he documents his adventures across America, have several million views on YouTube. In one video, he visits Wild Bill's Western Store in Dallas, Texas, to buy a cowboy hat and boots. "I'm looking forward to walking out on the street and doing this," he says, while tipping his hat. For much of the video, he dons a T-shirt reading: "Y'all can kiss my Dallas." "I think we should keep him!" one Texan commented on Instagram. "Texas looks good on you!" commented another. Image source, Getty Images "We're all rooting for Erling Haaland," said Marie, an American woman attending a Norwegian celebration in Miami, Florida. "We've all fallen in love with him," she told BBC Mundo. "He's goofy and he's a beast." "I'm entranced by Mr Haaland," said Miami resident Robert, speaking to BBC Mundo. "He's a machine, that guy. Terminator, move over." Robert organised a Norwegian-style "row" with 10 of his pickleball friends in Miami Beach on Friday morning, inspired by clips of the Norwegian team on social media. "For us Americans who don't know a lot about soccer... it's wonderful, he's amazing." The Norwegian striker also seems quite found of America. "People are so nice here," Haaland said in one of his vlogs. "They're