Erling Haaland eliminated Brazil from the 2026 World Cup and, in theory, that should have made him the villain of the story. The exact opposite happened.
The Norwegian striker delivered such a decisive performance against the Canarinha that he sparked what they are already calling the “Brazil effect”: thousands of Brazilian fans, instead of resenting him, began following him en masse. The result showed up in the numbers: 69 million followers on Instagram and meteoric growth that coincided exactly with that match.
Today, Haaland is not only Brazil’s executioner at this World Cup. Surprisingly, he is one of the tournament’s most beloved players among the very fans whose team he eliminated. 🇳🇴⚽