Norway striker Erling Haaland is making headlines not only for his performances at the FIFA World Cup 2026 but also for a meme that has taken over social media once again. Football fans across X, Instagram and TikTok have been comparing the Manchester City star to Dragon Ball Z villain Majin Buu, especially the Super Buu version.The joke is not new, but Haaland’s impressive World Cup displays and his viral celebrations have brought it back into the spotlight. Fans have been sharing edited pictures, artwork and side-by-side images of the Norwegian forward and the famous anime character, turning the comparison into one of football’s most popular internet memes.
How Erling Haaland’s ‘Majin Buu’ meme became one of football’s top running jokes
The comparison between Erling Haaland and Majin Buu first appeared in early 2021. One of the earliest known examples came on January 9, when an X user posted an illustration showing Haaland as Super Buu while he was playing for Borussia Dortmund. The drawing gave the Dragon Ball Z villain Haaland’s famous blond hairstyle, creating what many fans consider the first version of the meme.At first, the artwork attracted only a small audience. However, football fans soon started noticing similarities between Haaland’s facial expressions, face shape and hairstyle and those of Super Buu. As more people shared the comparison, the meme slowly spread across football communities and anime fan pages.During the following months, creators produced edited images, reaction memes and fan art featuring Haaland as the Dragon Ball Z character. In May 2021, the joke received another boost after Bleacher Report Football shared an edited image celebrating Haaland reaching 40 goals for the season. From that point, the comparison became a familiar part of online football culture.Over the next few years, the meme continued to appear whenever Haaland produced another standout performance. Fans regularly posted side-by-side pictures after goals, hat-tricks and memorable celebrations. The joke became one of the Norwegian striker’s best-known internet nicknames.The meme has reached another level during the FIFA World Cup 2026. Haaland has played a key role in Norway’s impressive campaign. He has helped his country reach the quarterfinals with his goals and dominant performances. His displays against top teams like Brazil have earned praise around the world.As Haaland’s popularity has grown during the World Cup, so has the Majin Buu meme. New fan art, AI edits, comparison photos and short videos have flooded social media platforms. Many supporters now instantly associate the striker with the Dragon Ball Z villain whenever he scores or celebrates.The meme is often mentioned alongside another famous football comparison involving France star Kylian Mbappé, who is frequently compared to Donatello from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Both jokes are based on humorous facial similarities rather than criticism and have become lasting parts of football’s online culture.
