Haaland wins praise for greeting fan's father on birthday in post-World Cup holiday video

Norway and Manchester City striker Erling Haaland captured the hearts of many at the 2026 World Cup in North America, where he scored seven goals. His country reached the quarter-finals of the competition for the first time in their history before being eliminated by England.

After what many consider an overachievement with Norway, Haaland is now enjoying his post-World Cup holiday before returning to pre-season training with Manchester City.

During his trip, a TikTok user shared a video of the striker greeting her father on his birthday. The soccer star's actions have since drawn an outpouring of support on social media.

Erling Haaland Greets Fan on Holiday Following World Cup

The video was initially shared on TikTok by user 'smarieday,' who captioned the post: "Not him coming up to my dad… Made his whole year."

Other social media accounts have since shared the clip, and many have taken to the comments section to express their admiration for Haaland.

Social media reactions included:

• "King-type energy on display here! Haaland just seems like a genuinely great guy!"
• "Always called him 'people princess' as a joke, but I don't think it's a joke anymore."
• "What a genuinely wonderful moment for everyone."
• "That is so sweet!!"
• "Haaland really is the people's princess."
• "He is so down to earth. That's rare among elite athletes. I hope nothing changes him."
• "I just love his vibes towards people."

Return to Club Action

Per FIFA rules, Haaland must take a 21-day break before returning to his club. This means he will miss Manchester City's clash with Inter Milan on August 1, but he will be available to play against the K League All-Stars on August 5.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.