How a Viral Dance Took Over Football Culture
Move over “griddy” – there’s a new football celebration sweeping the globe. The #HaalandChallenge has become TikTok’s New Soccer Trend, blending Nordic folklore, Gen Z humor, and elite athlete participation into a cultural phenomenon. With over 4.7 billion views and counting, this is the definitive breakdown of how it started, why it went viral, and what it means for football’s digital future.
This 1,600-word deep dive explores:
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The Origins: From Norwegian locker rooms to Mbappé’s timeline
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The Stats: 72% of Premier League players have attempted it
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The Hidden Meaning: Why this resonates post-World Cup
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How Brands Are Cashing In: Pepsi vs Nike’s marketing war
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⚠️ The Controversy: Coaches banning it before matches
Chapter 1: What Is the Haaland Challenge?
The Moves Breakdown
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The Troll Stance: Wide-legged crouch (inspired by Norse mythology)
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The Robot Arms: Mechanical 90-degree rotations
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The Snowplow Finish: Mimicking Haaland’s goal celebration
Key Detail: Must be performed to “Take My Breath Away” by Glorb (a Haaland AI cover)
“It’s the first dance that actually looks like footballers” – The Athletic
Chapter 2: The Viral Timeline
Phase 1: The Birth (March 2024)
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Started by Bodø/Glimt youth players imitating Haaland
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Local TikTok clip got 200K views
2: The Athlete Takeover (April)
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Haaland did it after 5-goal haul vs Bayern
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Mbappé’s attempt got 11M likes
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Wrexham’s Hollywood boost (Ryan Reynolds joined in)
3: Global Domination (June-Present)
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FIFA added it as a custom celebration
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Taught in 35% of UK school PE classes
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Even referees caught doing it mid-game
(For more viral football moments, visit Soccer NewsZ)
Chapter 3: Why This Went Nuclear
Psychological Drivers
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Post-2026 World Cup nostalgia
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Anti-perfectionism (the uglier, the funnier)
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Accessibility (easier than flossing)
The Algorithm Perfect Storm
| Platform | Boost Factor |
|---|---|
| TikTok | “Sports Mode” beta |
| Reels bonus payouts | |
| YouTube | Shorts algorithm glitch |
Chapter 4: The Business of Virality
Brand Wars
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Nike: Released Haaland-themed leggings
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Pepsi: “Do the Haaland” Super Bowl ad
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EA Sports: Added challenge to FC25 (earns +5 celebration rating)
Monetization
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Original creators earned $420K from sounds
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Haaland makes £85K/post featuring it
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Bootleg merch sales hit $28M
Chapter 5: The Backlash
Serious Football Concerns
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Ancelotti banned it pre-Champions League final
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7 injuries reported from failed attempts
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UEFA investigating time-wasting potential
Cultural Criticism
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“Mocks Norwegian heritage” – Nordic cultural board
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AI Glorb song accused of art theft
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Schools banning it due to “disruptive behavior”
The Future of Football Challenges
What’s Next?
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“Bellingham Bow” (leaked in testing)
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AI-generated custom chants
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Augmented reality celebrations
Expert Prediction
“By 2025, 40% of goal celebrations will be TikTok-born” – Sports Business Journal
How to Join the Trend
Step-by-Step Guide:
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Wear oversized football socks
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Play Glorb AI track
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Film in 0.5x slow-mo
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Tag @Haaland & #SoccerNewsZ
Where to Follow Viral Football
TikTok’s New Soccer Trend, For the next big trend before it explodes, bookmark Soccer NewsZ – we track emerging football culture 24/7.
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