Erling Haaland and the Tweet That Predicted His Rise to Global Stardom

An old tweet resurfaced — and Erling Haaland brought it back with a line as simple as it was devastating.

A Look Back in the Middle of a Golden Present

Erling Haaland is living one of the brightest stretches of his career: a leader at Manchester City, Norway’s undisputed star, and now qualified for his first World Cup. In the midst of this dominant moment, the striker decided to look back and resurrect a message that went unnoticed at the time.

On social media, he dug up a tweet posted in 2018 by a fan, back when he was just 18 and playing for Molde, far from the global spotlight. The message read:

"There’s a kid scoring goals for fun in the Norwegian first division, and he’s only 18. Remember this name: Erling Braut Haaland."

Haaland’s reply was short but piercing:

"I remember that name 😊"

A Fan Who Saw the Future Before Anyone Else

That tweet turned out to be prophetic. After Molde, Haaland exploded at Red Bull Salzburg, where his scoring ability caught Europe’s eye. His next leap came at Borussia Dortmund, confirming his meteoric rise. And since arriving at Manchester City, the word “success” no longer seems enough: Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, Club World Cup… and goals — always goals.

Individually, he has won the Premier League Golden Boot twice, one of them with a historic tally that earned him the European Golden Shoe.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Manchester City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - September 21, 2025 Manchester City's Erling Haaland reacts during the match Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs

A Start to the Season That Frightens Everyone Again

After a season in which City briefly eased off the accelerator, Haaland has opened 2025–26 as if nothing had changed:

19 goals already for City (14 in the Premier League, 5 in the Champions League)
16 goals in Europe’s World Cup qualifying phase

A number that allows him to equal the European record for most goals in a single World Cup qualifying campaign, previously held by Robert Lewandowski since 2018.

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Yes, His Name Was Worth Remembering

That fan couldn’t have been more right. Today, the name Erling Haaland is not only remembered — it’s etched into record books, feared by defenders, and mentioned in every conversation about the best players in the world.

And at just 25 years old, his rise shows no signs of slowing down.