Haaland Lookalike Takes Miami by Storm: From Braids to Ballon d’Or Doppelgänger
What started as a simple hairstyle has turned into a full-blown global football sideshow.
Content creator Willman says she is still trying to process how braiding her hair has led to millions of people comparing her to Erling Haaland, with the Manchester City and Norway star himself joining in on the joke.
“[It’s been] so surreal ... I never expected braiding my hair to turn into millions of people comparing me to Erling Haaland,” she told People, describing the whirlwind that followed her viral posts.
The internet ran with it. Memes, side-by-side photos, and clips flooded social media, pushing her into the spotlight as Haaland’s unofficial “twin.”
The story kicked up another gear when Haaland noticed.
“It’s been amazing to watch the internet have so much fun with it, and seeing Erling comment on my video made the whole thing feel even more unreal,” she said. For a creator used to guessing what might connect with an audience, this one landed perfectly. “As a creator, you never know what’s going to resonate, so I’m just grateful people have embraced it and had fun along the way.”
Now the online joke is about to step into real life.
Willman revealed she will be in Miami, Florida, on Saturday (local time) to watch Haaland’s Norway face England in the World Cup quarter-final, and she would love to finally meet her “twin” in person. Haaland, speaking to the same publication, sounded just as intrigued by the prospect.
“It would be pretty funny if our paths crossed in real life after all of this,” he said.
So the stage is set: a World Cup knockout tie, a city buzzing with football tourists, and a social media phenomenon turning into an in-the-flesh moment.
Willman is not stopping at simply attending the match. She is turning Miami into a Haaland hub for the day. The influencer is hosting an Erling Haaland lookalike contest in the city on the day of the game, with a serious prize on the line — tickets to the quarter-final.
On her Instagram page, she laid down the challenge.
“If you have ever been told you look like Haaland and are a Norway fan, you’re in for a surprise!” she wrote. Partnering with @kalshi, she announced an Erling Haaland lookalike contest “right before the game on Saturday for 2 FREE TICKETS TO THE GAME!”
The rules are simple: show up, lean into the resemblance, and channel your inner goal machine. “Meet us at the location [in Miami], and bring your best Haaland moves! See you there and good luck!” she added.
One viral hairstyle, one amused superstar, and now an entire city invited to join the resemblance game on a World Cup quarter-final day. The only question left is whether the “twin” and the original finally end up in the same frame.
