Erling Haaland became a beloved social media sensation during this year’s World Cup thanks to his domineering stature and infectious personality. The 25-year-old striker played for Norway, who were recently booted from the tournament after losing to England in the quarterfinals.
Despite his team’s loss, Haaland found a way to inspire one more moment of joy when he stepped off the plane in Oslo on July 13 with a taxidermied raccoon holding a bottle of alcohol. As you can see from his X post, Haaland wrote, “It followed me home,” followed by a raccoon emoji and a laughing emoji.
Of course, the internet immediately wanted to know where the soccer superstar found this unique souvenir. The answer? At Dallas’s very own Wild Bill’s Western Store. Haaland visited the shop after Norway defeated Ivory Coast in the World Cup on June 30.
He then posted a video of himself on his YouTube page buying apparel, including a “Y’all can kiss my Dallas” shirt (this one understandably went viral), a longhorn belt buckle, boots, and numerous cowboy hats. Not only did Haaland conjure up some clicks for himself, but he also boosted Wild Bill’s sales in the process.
Fans are wondering how to get their hands on Erling Haaland’s souvenir
After the Norwegian striker posted photos of himself holding the drunken mammal on his socials, Wild Bill’s predictably sold out of the “Whiskey Raccoon.” The store’s owner, Julie Newport, spoke with USA Today about the public’s whirlwind interest in this particular item. “It’s really special when this happens for a small store like us,” she told the outlet.
Newport said the taxidermied raccoon retails for $750 but is only available in limited quantities, as the taxidermist supplying the piece has since retired. She noted that additional inventory is on the way, though. In the meantime, countless other Texas-inspired goods are available on Wild Bill’s website.
Cody Newport, who owns the store alongside Julie, told FOX 4 they were extremely happy to help Haaland be fitted for a cowboy hat while he was there on June 30. “We exude the Dallas welcome, the southern hospitality. For him to want to come in and hang out is everything,” Cody said.
Haaland, for his part, expressed his feelings about the US and its hospitality during media availability held prior to Norway’s match against England. He said, “I like the Americans — I think they are kind of hilarious, as well. They are funny. So I like the way they are.”
The 25-year-old knows a thing or two about being hilarious himself. When showcasing the taxidermied raccoon on his Instagram stories, Haaland asked fans to vote on a name for his new friend. The options listed were R.O.W. (Raccoon On Wheels), TEX, Ranger, and Cowboy.
As of writing, R.O.W. was in the lead with 38% of the votes.
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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