Norway’s Haaland Returns Home After World Cup Quarterfinal

Erling Haaland’s journey in the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup concluded as England triumphed over Norway in the quarterfinal match in Miami on Saturday, July 11. Despite the team’s exit, Haaland remains in the spotlight. Having returned to Norway on Monday, July 13, the all-star striker and his teammates were warmly welcomed.

The Norwegian men’s national team, known as the Herrelandslaget, shared a series of images on Instagram, capturing the players disembarking from their flight. Among these, a photo of Haaland with a taxidermied raccoon drew significant attention. On social media platform X, Haaland humorously commented, “It followed me home [raccoon emoji, crying-laughing emoji].”

Commentator Joe Pompliano added, “Erling Haaland has returned to Norway, and it looks like he brought home a $750 Whiskey Raccoon from Wild Bill’s Western Store in Dallas, Texas. What an authentic piece of American culture.” Haaland’s attachment to Texas is understandable, as it was where Norway secured its first-ever World Cup knockout stage victory, defeating Côte d’Ivoire in the Round of 32 at AT&T Stadium on June 30.

Following the win, Haaland shared footage of his Texas shopping adventure. His purchases included a black cowboy hat, leather cowboy boots, and a black tee adorned with the phrase, “Y’ALL CAN KISS MY DALLAS.” Among these purchases was the taxidermy raccoon, a unique memento from his first World Cup.

Throughout the tournament, Haaland showcased his talent by scoring seven goals in five matches. Notably, he achieved an unforgettable brace in Norway’s surprise victory over Brazil in the Round of 16.

As the competition continues, the remaining top four teams in the FIFA rankings prepare for the semifinals. France is set to challenge Spain on Tuesday, July 14, while England faces defending champions Argentina on Wednesday, July 15. The World Cup final is scheduled for Sunday, July 19. Haaland will likely offer his insights and commentary from afar via social media.