Norwegian striker Erling Haaland has emerged as a prominent social media figure in China amid his standout performances at the recent World Cup. Although China did not qualify for the tournament, Haaland’s blend of athletic prowess and approachable personality has sparked widespread enthusiasm among Chinese fans, elevating his profile well beyond his home country.
Haaland, who played a key role in Norway’s best-ever World Cup showing, has seen his social media following grow substantially across platforms including Instagram, as well as Douyin and Weibo, China’s versions of TikTok and Twitter. Chinese users have embraced his presence, generating memes and fan art that highlight his distinctive blond hair, animated facial expressions, and humorous demeanor. His fans have affectionately nicknamed him “Ha Bao,” or “Baby Ha,” a moniker he has acknowledged online.
Before the tournament, Haaland gained viral attention in China through a commercial for Walvoi, a local herbal tea brand. The ad featured the striker playfully "breathing fire" while holding oversized barbecue skewers, referencing the Chinese traditional concept of “shanghuo” or excess internal heat, before cooling off with the beverage. The campaign’s success helped introduce him to Chinese audiences, with related hashtags amassing hundreds of millions of views on Weibo.
Haaland’s engagement with Chinese culture extends to his participation in popular online memes. On Douyin, he has discussed dishes he hopes to try and joined trends such as pretending to swallow a monarch butterfly, a meme originating in the southwestern city of Chongqing. He has also shared tutorials on how to style his signature topknot, further endearing himself to fans.
The player’s image has inspired a variety of creative reinterpretations in Chinese meme culture. One notable example shows Haaland’s hair digitally superimposed onto a pug, drawing attention to humorous facial similarities. Another fan creation portrays him as a romantic hero within the Chinese sci-fi romance mobile game “Love and Deepspace.” According to Tobias Zuser, a researcher specializing in sports and cultural studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Haaland’s appeal aligns with China’s “chouxiang” or abstract meme culture, characterized by playful, unconventional characterizations.
This wave of support has not been limited to China; some memes originating there have circulated internationally, highlighting the global nature of Haaland’s rising popularity. He has cultivated a strong social media presence more broadly, starting a YouTube channel last year that offers a candid, playful look at his life in contrast to typical polished athlete profiles. He has also engaged American fans, shopping for a Stetson hat at Wild Bill’s Western Store, wearing a T-shirt bearing the phrase “Y’all can kiss my Dallas.”
Haaland’s market expansion into China appears to be at least partly strategic. His agent, Rafaela Pimenta, has indicated that following success in the U.S., efforts were made to increase endorsements and exposure in the Chinese market. Prior to Norway’s quarterfinal match against England last Sunday, Haaland’s team reportedly received indications that social media algorithms were prioritizing content about him due to heightened user interest.
Jian Xu, a digital media and celebrity studies expert at Deakin University in Australia, noted that China’s absence from the World Cup led many fans there to support standout players from other nations like Haaland. After Norway’s narrow defeat by England in South Florida, Chinese fans marked the end of Haaland’s tournament run. In response, Haaland posted a message on Weibo, thanking his fans and bidding farewell in Chinese, calling the experience “unforgettable.”