Why Erling Haaland's teenage rap track is taking over the internet during World Cup

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Erling Haaland has dominated headlines with his performances for Norway at the World Cup. Away from the pitch, however, an old music video from his teenage years has unexpectedly become one of the tournament's biggest social media stories.

Erling Haaland's 2016 rap video finds a new global audience

Haaland's goals have helped Norway reach its first World Cup in nearly three decades, but a video recorded years before his rise to football stardom is now attracting millions of new viewers online.

The clip dates back to 2016, when a 15-year-old Haaland joined friends Erik Botheim and Erik Tobias Sandberg to record a homemade rap song titled "Kygo Jo." Uploaded to YouTube under the name Flow Kingz, the video features the three teenagers dancing, jumping on a trampoline, and joking around in a backyard while performing in Norwegian.

The video has experienced a major resurgence during Norway's World Cup campaign, collecting more than 20 million views as fans discover a different side of the Manchester City striker. Social media users have widely shared translated lyrics and clips from the performance, helping introduce the song to audiences far beyond Norway.

Interest grew even further after Norwegian DJ Kygo promised to remix the track if Haaland scored against Brazil during the tournament. After the striker found the net, Kygo followed through by releasing an updated version, giving the teenage recording an unexpected second life on streaming platforms.

Fans have embraced the story with the same enthusiasm they have shown for Haaland's playful personality throughout the tournament. Many joked that football prevented Norway from gaining another music star, while others suggested the song has become an unofficial soundtrack for the national team's memorable World Cup run.

Haaland remains focused on leading Norway deeper into the competition, but his latest viral moment has shown that his popularity extends well beyond scoring goals. For many supporters, the rediscovered rap video has become another reminder of the personality that has made him one of football's most recognizable stars.