Erling Haaland, the Norwegian striker who has become one of the most recognizable faces in global football, turned heads not only for his performances on the pitch but also for his off‑field indulgences during the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States.
According to reports, Haaland and four of his Norwegian teammates spent an extended afternoon at Wild Bill's Western Store in Dallas, where they filled a shopping cart with cowboy hats, boots, western shirts and ornate belt buckles, turning a routine retail visit into a cultural pilgrimage.
The most eye‑catching purchases were three taxidermied curiosities: a raccoon clutching a liquor bottle priced at $750 and two squirrels each tagged at $450, items that quickly became the talk of the store’s aisles.
The entire bill for the group reportedly topped $10,000, with Haaland personally covering the tab, a sum that sits comfortably within the earnings of a player ranked among the world’s highest‑paid athletes.
While the Norwegian side’s run ended in a quarter‑final defeat to England, Haaland returned home with three Texas‑themed trophies, souvenirs that now sit alongside his sporting accolades as reminders of a historic tournament.
A Western splurge on the world stage
The episode underscores how global sporting events increasingly serve as platforms for personal expression, with players leveraging their visibility to explore local customs and indulge in unique retail experiences.