Norway certainly put themselves on the football map with their World Cup run this year, and much of the credit undoubtedly goes to their star man, Erling Haaland, who scored seven goals in his debut appearance on the global stage.
However, it was not just their tournament run that became one of the biggest storylines of this FIFA World Cup.
Haaland mania goes global
The other was Erling Haaland himself, who seemed to establish a monopoly over social media, with fans unable to get enough of the trends and highlights featuring his on- and off-field antics.
And its impact has now been felt quite strongly in Latin American country Peru, especially among a generation that has just born during Haaland’s rise and his capture of fans’ hearts.
Newborns named after Haaland in Peru
Although the Norway no.9’s World Cup journey has come to an end, his influence continues to resonate in Peru, where scores of football fans had already named their newborns after the Norway striker before the team’s quarter-final against England, according to France 24.
According to Peru’s national identity registry, which released data last Friday, Haaland’s fans in the country have gone as far as naming their children after him, with 468 people bearing the 25-year-old’s surname.
The registry also revealed that 91 children have been given the full name Erling Haaland.
Registry spokesperson explains Haaland Craze
“Different football stars serve as inspiration for Peruvians to register their children with these names,” registry spokesperson Ivan Torres told Panamericana Television.
Torres added that the majority of babies named after Atletico Madrid star were registered in the weeks after the World Cup began, with the trend accelerating as Norway progressed to the quarter-finals.
“Haaland is also Peruvian,” he said.
Peru’s football naming culture
Football has long influenced baby naming trends in Peru. According to the registry, 3,402 Peruvians are named Messi, including 292 who bear Lionel Messi’s full name.
The trend extends to several other global stars as well. Cristiano Ronaldo has 1,185 namesakes in the country, while 1,241 people are named Yamal after Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal.
Neymar remains the most popular of them all, with 33,809 Peruvians carrying the Brazilian superstar’s name.
