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World Cup breakout star Erling Haaland of Norway showed off the “Whiskey Raccoon” he bought in Dallas while competing in the soccer tournament and asked fans to help him name the taxidermy piece.
Channing Tatum's World Cup Transformation Into Soccer Star Erling Haaland Deserves a Double Take
Erling Haaland won’t tolerate any trash talk about his new furry friend.
The soccer star revealed the unique American souvenir he brought back home with him to Norway after being eliminated from the 2026 World Cup: a taxidermied raccoon.
But the paw-some piece from Texas isn’t just any ole preserved animal—no, the “Whiskey Raccoon” is mounted on a wooden board and positioned to appear as if it is hugging and resting its head on a bottle of whiskey.
As for how much the art piece, purchased from Wild Bill’s Western Store in Dallas, set the athlete back? It’s currently listed as sold out but priced at $750.
When Haaland returned home to Oslo July 13 following Norway’s 2-1 quarterfinal loss against England in Miami July 11, he carried the Whiskey Raccoon off the plane and had some fun introducing his newest collectible.
Indeed, he shared a picture of the now-viral deplaning moment and captioned the July 13 Instagram post, “It followed me home.”
Plus, the 25-year-old called for his followers to “help me name my new buddy” by creating a poll on his Instagram Stories with the name options Cowboy, Ranger, TEX and R.O.W. (Raccoon on Wheels), possibly a nod to the country’s post-game rowing celebration.
Throughout the 2026 World Cup, during which he scored seven goals, Haaland became a breakout star amongst international fans. Not only did his signature hairstyle—long blonde locks pulled back into a ponytail—spur spectators like Channing Tatum to dress like him during matches, but Haaland also proved he didn’t take himself too seriously on the field by laughing with pal Jude Bellingham of England during the match.
Jan Langhaug / NTB / AFP via Getty Images
And as he reflected on his World Cup experience, Haaland shared his appreciation with his fans.
“It’s been quite a row,” he wrote on Instagram July 12. “Thank you for making it so special.”
For more notable athletes who played in the 2026 World Cup, keep reading…
Eric Alonso/Getty Images
Lamine Yamal
Age: 18
World Cup Team: Spain
Current Soccer Club: FC Barcelona (Spain)
Position: Midfielder
Don't let Yamal's age fool you. In just two years since his debut, the Spaniard already has a UEFA European Football Championship under his belt. He was also the runner-up for the Ballon d'Or—also known as the "Golden Ball," an award recognizing the best soccer player of the year—in 2025.
CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images
Lionel Messi
Age: 38
World Cup Team: Argentina
Current Soccer Club: Inter Miami CF (United States)
Position: Forward
History has its eyes on Messi, who is the most decorated player in the world of soccer. Not only is he the defending World Cup champion, but the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is on the cusp of becoming the first player to win back-to-back World Cups as the captain of his national team.
Clicks Images/Getty Images
Cristiano Ronaldo
Age: 41
World Cup Team: Portugal
Current Soccer Club: Al-Nassr (Saudi Arabia)
Position: Forward
There's a reason why Ronaldo is considered one of the greatest players of all time. After all, he's scored over 970 goals in his career so far and shows no signs of stopping. He scored at least 100 goals while playing with each of his former clubs—Real Madrid, Manchester United and Juventus—as well as over 130 goals with his national team.
Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Getty Images
Harry Kane
Age: 32
World Cup Team: England
Current Soccer Club: Bayern Munich (Germany)
Position: Forward
Known as one of the best strikers of his generation, Kane is serving as the captain of England's national team for the third consecutive World Cup. In fact, the London native scored the winning goal at the team's warm-up match against New Zealand on June 6.
Stefan Matzke - sampics/Getty Images
Jamal Musiala
Age: 23
World Cup Team: Germany
Current Soccer Club: Bayern Munich (Germany)
Position: Midfielder
Ever since kicking off his professional soccer career at age 16, Musiala has been nicknamed "Bambi" for his graceful movements on the pitch. He made his World Cup debut at the 2022 tournament.
Heuler Andrey/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Neymar
Age: 34
World Cup Team: Brazil
Current Soccer Club: Santos FC (Brazil)
Position: Forward
Born Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, the mononymous sensation is his home country's all-time leading scorer after surpassing Pelé's 52-year record in 2023. He's looking to lead his team back to World Cup glory for the first time since 2002.
Claudio Villa/AC Milan via Getty Images
Luka Modric
Age: 40
World Cup Team: Croatia
Current Soccer Club: AC Milan (Italy)
Position: Midfielder
Considered Croatia's greatest soccer player, Modric captained the nation's team to a third-place victory at the 2018 World Cup. He also holds the record for most caps for Croatia, playing for the country more than 190 times on the international stage.
Angel Martinez/Getty Images
Kylian Mbappe
Age: 27
World Cup Team: France
Current Soccer Club: Real Madrid (Spain)
Position: Forward
Mbappe took home the World Cup when he made his debut in 2018. And after coming close in 2022, with Argentina defeating France in a penalty shoot-out, the Frenchman is undoubtedly entering this year's competition with fire in his belly.
Maria Gracia Jimenez/Soccrates/Getty Images
Vinicius Junior
Age: 25
World Cup Team: Brazil
Current Soccer Club: Real Madrid (Spain)
Position: Forward
Born Vinícius José Paixão de Oliveira Júnior, the Brazilian soccer superstar was crowned The Best FIFA Men’s Player and runner-up to the Ballon d'Or in 2024. In his second World Cup appearance, Vini Jr. is hoping to end Brazil's 24-year wait for the trophy.
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