Erling Haaland returned home from the 2026 FIFA World Cup with more than memories of Norway's historic campaign; he also brought back one of the tournament's most unusual souvenirs.
The Manchester City striker was spotted arriving at Oslo's Gardermoen Airport carrying a taxidermied raccoon holding a whisky bottle, leaving fans wondering why the Norway captain had travelled across the Atlantic with the unusual item.
The answer lies in a visit Haaland made during Norway's stay in Texas.
During a break in the tournament, the 25-year-old stopped by Wild Bill's Western Store in Dallas, where he embraced local culture by buying a cowboy hat, leather boots and a T-shirt. While browsing the shop, he also came across a taxidermied raccoon nicknamed the "Whisky Raccoon" and decided to take it home.
The mounted raccoon, which holds a whisky bottle, reportedly cost around $750.
Haaland later shared photos of himself carrying the raccoon after landing in Norway, joking on social media: "It followed me home."
His purchase quickly went viral, with the Dallas store revealing that the "Haaland effect" led to the item selling out online shortly after the photos surfaced. The unexpected demand also prompted the retailer to speed up plans for international shipping.
The quirky souvenir capped a memorable tournament for Haaland and Norway. The Scandinavian nation reached the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in its history, eliminating Brazil in the Round of 16 before suffering a controversial 2-1 defeat to England.
Haaland was Norway's standout player throughout the competition, finishing as the country's leading scorer with seven goals.
While it remains unclear whether the famous "Whisky Raccoon" will make the trip to Manchester ahead of the new Premier League season, it has already become one of the most talked-about souvenirs from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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