According to the Manchester Evening News, Erling Haaland’s personality, character, talent and ability have made him a favorite among marketing professionals.

 

Alongside Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland is poised to take over the mantle left by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, evolving into an iconic star transcending football itself. Haaland represents a massive commercial opportunity: his last two videos have racked up 7 million views. Active daily social media operations have amassed him a huge online fanbase, with 60 million followers on just one single platform.

Norway have returned to the World Cup stage after a 28-year absence, marking Haaland’s debut at the tournament. Ahead of tonight’s quarter-final against England, he remains in contention for the Golden Boot award. If Norway progress further, he stands every chance of being named the tournament’s best player.

While most sports fans are already familiar with Haaland, he is now drawing a far broader American audience. His already sky-high popularity has hit new heights, opening up more opportunities both for himself and Manchester City: expanded commercial partnerships and full leverage of his global influence. Dave Powell, a football finance expert and academic at UCFB Manchester, firmly believes Haaland’s drawing power will only grow stronger.

He stated: “American audiences adore megastars, and the star power of someone of Haaland’s calibre will make an enormous impact.

“Leading up to this World Cup, public sentiment was largely negative, with widespread talk of sluggish ticket sales and low spectator interest. There was also the farce of FIFA rescinding Balogun’s red card following a phone call from Trump. Even so, the tournament has exceeded all expectations.

“The crux of it is the exceptionally high competitive standard of the tournament, with elite players delivering their absolute best on the world’s biggest stage. This is exactly what FIFA hoped to see, and what all parties working to grow football in the United States — particularly broadcasters and commercial partners — were anticipating.

“Haaland is a bona fide megastar with an innate aura that holds massive appeal for viewers. For new American football fans, athletes like him are a vital anchor to sustain the current surge in football’s popularity.

“He is the linchpin of the Norwegian national team, and even his iconic ‘Viking row’ celebration underscores that he is a world-class player on the pitch and a world-class sports asset off it. American sports fans now know his name well, unlocking vast untapped commercial potential for both Haaland and Manchester City.

“Haaland’s personal brand has strengthened in the US market, which could land him more individual endorsement deals — clearly positive news for him personally. From the club’s perspective, brands are willing to pour huge sums into commercial collaborations precisely because they can market themselves through the club’s star players.

“When US corporations look to expand their business reach, Haaland’s ability to rapidly gain mainstream traction in America will likely make Manchester City a far more appealing partner. This will hand City greater negotiating leverage and translate into higher returns from commercial partnerships.

“He has now cemented his status as one of football’s global superstars. This World Cup was designed to lay the groundwork for football in the United States, and with proper long-term management, football could surpass baseball to become America’s most popular sport. Given Haaland’s long-term contract with Manchester City, this is undeniably tremendous news for the club.

“Another key factor is that the value of Manchester City’s pre-season summer tours to the United States in the coming years will surge thanks to Haaland’s massive pulling power. This becomes even more critical as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi edge closer to stepping away from top-flight football.

“Countless fans worldwide are waiting for a new football icon to emerge, and Haaland fits the bill perfectly — meaning endless opportunities to convert his influence into greater revenue streams.”