Erling Haaland cut his hair off and some people are losing it: 'The Viking era is over'

Erling Haaland cut his hair off and some people are losing it: 'The Viking era is over'

Manchester City striker debuted a buzz cut Sunday, much to the ire of some fans

If you've been wondering what hijinks Erling Haaland has been up to since the World Cup ended — perhaps buying more taxidermy raccoons or working on his robot moves — well, his latest antic involves an attention-grabbing haircut.

"Short hair don't care," the Norwegian soccer star and summer internet darling posted to his 76.9 million Instagram followers Sunday, alongside photos of a new buzz cut.

"New season, new trim," Haaland wrote in another post with a video that shows his long, golden tresses before the chop, and then the "after."

Haaland, who plays for the Premier League's Manchester City in the United Kingdom, was already a well-known and successful soccer player before the 2026 World Cup, having won nine major trophies with the club, including the prestigious Champions League trophy.

But the 26-year-old's popularity surged over the course of the tournament thanks in part to his dry, goofy sense of humour and on-pitch athleticism.

And then, yes, there was the hair.

"This beautiful blond hair? Time to let it go," Haaland said in a YouTube video posted Sunday, adding he meant to cut it after the World Cup finished but was too busy.

He only had one hesitation, he added, which is that his friend and mentor, former star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, warned him never to cut it.

"Because your strength is in your hair," Haaland said. "I'm a bit nervous."

"But the Vikings? They go short as well," he added.

Later in the video, post-chop, Haaland Facetimed Ibrahimovic to show him his new look.

"What the f--k did you do," Ibrahimovic asked. "Oh my God. Block me and erase my number."

Haaland also called former City manager Pep Guardiola, who is hairless and told the striker: “You’re lucky to have hair."

The reaction on social media was mixed, with some fans commenting that Haaland looked sharp, and younger, while many others bemoaned the loss of his signature look.

"An angel lost its wings," one person commented on his Instagram video.

Erling Haaland mania is taking over at the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Yes, Erling Haaland brought home a taxidermy raccoon from his World Cup travels

"The Viking era is over," wrote another person on X.

"I hope you have not shaved your powers off," wrote another fan.

Haaland debuted his new look in real life Sunday at his team's opening match against Bournemouth.

His team won 2-1, but Haaland himself missed a few chances to score and appeared frustrated with his performance.

He's also not the only star to show off a back-to-school haircut. Heated Rivalry's Connor Storrie was photographed Sunday looking like he'd chopped off his curly locks ahead of filming the show's second season.

Erling Haaland takes taxidermied raccoon home to Norway | The Moment

Natalie Stechyson has been a writer and editor at CBC News since 2021. She covers stories on social trends, families, gender, human interest, as well as general news. She's worked as a journalist since 2009, with stints at the Globe and Mail and Postmedia News, among others. Before joining CBC News, she was the parents editor at HuffPost Canada, where she won a silver Canadian Online Publishing Award for her work on pregnancy loss. You can reach her at natalie.stechyson@cbc.ca.