{"id":802179,"date":"2026-07-14T21:57:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T21:57:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/802179\/"},"modified":"2026-07-14T21:57:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T21:57:12","slug":"norways-erling-haaland-left-world-cup-with-7-goals-taxidermy-raccoon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/802179\/","title":{"rendered":"Norway’s Erling Haaland left World Cup with 7 goals, taxidermy raccoon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Erling Haaland<\/a> is a character.<\/p>\n

Hardcore soccer fans already knew that about the Premier League\u2019s top scorer. Casual fans certainly found out during Norway\u2019s run to the World Cup<\/a> quarterfinal round, where they lost 2-1 to England<\/a> on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Case in point: After the team\u2019s plane landed at Oslo Airport on Monday, the 6-foot-5 striker with flowing blond hair stepped out with a rather unusual carry-on tucked under his left arm.<\/p>\n

It was a taxidermy raccoon clutching an empty liquor bottle.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt followed me home,\u201d Haaland wrote<\/a> in an Instagram post that also included a photo of himself carrying his new prized possession.<\/p>\n

The stuffed creature was one of many purchases Haaland made during his team\u2019s stay in Dallas for its round of 32 game against Ivory Coast on June 30. Following the 2-1 victory at AT&T Stadium, Norway\u2019s all-time leading scorer decided he wanted to add a little Texas style to his look before departing for East Rutherford, N.J., for the next round.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want just a cowboy hat,\u201d Haaland said at the time, as seen in a video posted on his YouTube channel<\/a>. \u201cThat\u2019s all I want.\u201d<\/p>\n

He ended up getting much more during what ended up being a 90-minute visit to Wild Bill\u2019s Western Store<\/a> with some team staff members just hours after the game.<\/p>\n

\"Erling <\/p>\n

Norway\u2019s Erling Haaland wears a viking helmet after his team\u2019s World Cup round of 32 game against Ivory Coast on June 30 in Arlington, Texas.<\/p>\n

(Jessica Tobias \/ AP Photo)<\/p>\n

\u201cJust every department: boots, hats, belt, buckles, T-shirts, Western shirts,\u201d store co-owner Julie Newport told The Times of Haaland\u2019s purchases. \u201cIt was such a fun time for all of us because they were all chill and relaxed, and our team was just doing their job, you know, getting in the right sizing and having some fun with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

At some point while roaming the store, Haaland noticed the hard-partying raccoon and had to have it. His haul ended up including two taxidermy squirrels<\/a> as well \u2014 one dressed as a sheriff and the other posed to look like it is drinking out of a Budweiser can.<\/p>\n

The so-called Whiskey Raccoon<\/a> sells for $750, and the squirrels go for $450 each. Because of their price tags, the taxidermy items weren\u2019t typically huge sellers. Instead, Newport said, folks mainly liked coming by and posing for pictures with them. <\/p>\n

Now, however, they are sold out and in high demand. Newport said three of the raccoons are on order and should be in-store by next week. After that, she said, the availability depends on whether they can talk the man who makes them out of retirement.<\/p>\n

Other items that Haaland purchased and featured on his YouTube video have also been flying off the shelves. Those include a gray Stetson Brenham cowboy hat<\/a>, Dan Post python boots<\/a> and a T-shirt that proclaims \u201cY\u2019all Can Kiss My Dallas<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe opened up international shipping for the first time ever, and so we started shipping to Norway, to Germany, to the UK,\u201d Newport said. \u201cI added Brazil and Australia this morning, and luckily our supplier is able to keep us with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added: \u201cWe\u2019re so grateful because we\u2019re one store. We\u2019re locally owned, you know? So this is an incredibly exciting time for us, and we\u2019re learning how to pivot and handle this kind of exposure and traction with sales. It\u2019s just been a really wild ride.\u201d<\/p>\n

Born to Norwegian parents in Leeds, England, Haaland moved with his parents to their hometown of Byrne at age 3. He has played for Manchester City since 2022 and has won the Premier League\u2019s golden boot for most goals scored in three of the last four seasons, including his 27-goal effort in 2025-2026.<\/p>\n

During the World Cup, Haaland garnered a stateside fan base with his seven goals in five matches, as well as his quirky social media posts and fun personality. Few were likely surprised when Haaland asked on his Instagram Story<\/a> for help naming \u201cmy new buddy\u201d (a.k.a. the Whiskey Raccoon). The choices were Cowboy, Ranger, Tex or R.O.W. (Raccoon On Wheels).<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s a good thing because I like the Americans,\u201d Haaland said of his newfound U.S. popularity during a team news conference last week. \u201cI think they are kind of hilarious as well. They are funny. I like the way they are.\u201d<\/p>\n