Erling Haaland and Memes: How the Soccer Player Took the Internet by Storm

While Erling Haaland breaks records on the soccer field, social media users regularly find new reasons to joke about the Norwegian. His photos from matches, training sessions, and even press conferences often serve as the basis for viral memes that spread around the world in a matter of hours.

One of the main reasons for this popularity is the soccer player’s emotional displays. Haaland barely hides his feelings during a game. He might look genuinely surprised, get angry, laugh, or stare so intently at the camera that these shots immediately become fodder for new jokes. Fans say that sometimes a single expression on his face can say more than a long post-match interview. That’s why photographers keep a close eye on the striker not only when he scores goals, but also during any emotional moments.

Photos of Goland sitting on the grass after a tackle or resting during breaks in the game have become especially popular. Because of his tall stature and unusual posture, these shots often look very funny. Users add funny captions to them, comparing the soccer player to characters from cartoons, video games, or even to people who are “just tired after a long day at work.” These jokes regularly rack up hundreds of thousands of likes and shares.

Just as many memes are born from his unusual goal celebrations. Goland has struck his famous meditation pose right on the soccer field more than once. This gesture quickly became one of his signature moves. Eventually, users began placing the soccer player in all sorts of settings—on mountain peaks, in space, in the middle of an office, or even in a school classroom. As a result, the meditation photo has become one of the most famous sports memes of recent years.

Another favorite topic among fans is the striker’s unusual appearance. Because of his blond hair, tall stature, and athletic build, Haaland is often compared to a Viking, a hero from Scandinavian legends, or a character from science fiction movies. Sometimes he’s called a “goal-scoring machine,” since the Norwegian demonstrates incredible scoring prowess almost every season. After yet another brace or hat trick, jokes resurface on social media that he’s “switched to machine mode.”

Funny moments arise even when Goland isn’t directly involved in the action. The cameras often capture his reaction to his teammates’ mistakes, the referee’s calls, or his opponents’ moves. He might widen his eyes, spread his arms dramatically, or simply stare silently at a single point. It’s exactly these clips that quickly become templates for memes about school, work, family life, or everyday situations. Many people use them—even those who aren’t interested in soccer at all.

After every major match, you can see dozens of new jokes featuring De Jong on social media. Some are created by professional sports pages, while others come from regular fans. Some memes are so popular that they’re translated into various languages, and the images themselves remain relevant for years. Often, all it takes is changing the caption—and an old image starts going viral again.

Interestingly, Erling Haaland himself takes this popularity in stride. He has repeatedly shown that he doesn’t take the jokes personally and sometimes even responds to them on social media. The soccer player understands that memes have become an integral part of modern sports. For many fans, it’s another way to support their favorite player or simply have a laugh after a tense match.

Today, Goland is among the athletes who most often become the subject of viral content. His photos have long taken on a life of their own online. A new goal, an emotional reaction, or a random shot from a broadcast—and within minutes, dozens of new memes appear online. It seems that as long as the Norwegian continues to play at the highest level, the internet will have plenty of new reasons for jokes for a long time to come.