Why Norway's World Cup star Erling Haaland's decade-old rap song is suddenly everywhere

Erling Haaland has dominated headlines at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with his goals, Norway's historic run and his meme-worthy social media presence. But the Manchester City striker has now gone viral for something few football fans knew existed, a rap song he recorded as a teenager.

A homemade music video from 2016 featuring a 15-year-old Haaland rapping alongside his Norway Under-17 teammates has resurfaced online, racking up millions of views and spawning a fresh remix from Norwegian DJ Kygo. As Norway continues its dream World Cup campaign, the track has become an unlikely soundtrack to the country's football fever.

A rap trio called Flow Kingz

Long before he became one of the world's most feared strikers, Haaland teamed up with fellow Norway youth internationals Erik Botheim and Erik Tobias Sandberg to form a rap trio called Flow Kingz.

The trio released a song titled 'Kygo jo' in 2016, a playful homemade music video that shows the teenagers rapping in Norwegian while jumping on a trampoline, pretending to barbecue, driving a tiny toy car and generally having fun in a suburban backyard. Haaland performed under the rap name Lyng.

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The video attracted modest attention when it was first uploaded to YouTube, but it has found a far larger audience a decade later.

Why is the song trending now?

The renewed interest is closely tied to Norway's remarkable World Cup journey.

Led by Haaland, Norway reached the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in the country's history, turning the striker into one of the tournament's biggest stars both on and off the pitch. His goals, celebrations and humorous online personality have made him one of the most talked-about footballers of the tournament.

As fans searched for more content featuring the Norwegian captain, the old rap video resurfaced and quickly exploded across social media. The YouTube video has crossed 22 million views, with fans joking that football "stole a musician" and suggesting the song should be played in stadiums if Norway wins the World Cup.

Kygo gave it a second life

The song received another boost after internationally acclaimed Norwegian DJ Kygo announced he would remix it if Haaland scored against Brazil during the World Cup.

Haaland delivered with two goals in Norway's historic victory, prompting Kygo to release a house remix of Kygo jo. The remix has since gained traction on streaming platforms and social media, introducing the decade-old song to an entirely new audience.

Haaland embraced the unexpected success with his trademark humour, joking on social media that he had officially become an artist.

A World Cup defined by Haaland mania

The viral rap song is just one chapter in what has become known as "Haaland mania." The 25-year-old has emerged as one of the faces of the 2026 World Cup, combining prolific goalscoring with an offbeat personality that has resonated far beyond football fans. His playful Snapchat posts, Viking-themed celebrations and fan interactions have fuelled a wave of memes, AI-generated content and viral videos throughout the tournament.