BEIJING — There may not be any Chinese players at this year’s World Cup, but China has found its own soccer hero: Norwegian striker Erling Haaland.Subscribe to read this story ad-freeGet unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The 6-foot-4 Manchester City star is a sensation on Chinese social media, where fans affectionately refer to him as “Ha Bao,” which translates to “Baby Ha.” “I never thought I’d end up liking another footballer after Cristiano Ronaldo,” Gum Li, a 34-year-old from Guangdong province, told NBC News via a messaging app on Wednesday.“But he won me over after I watched a lot of social media videos of Haaland playing for Manchester City, as well as videos of his funny moments off the pitch.”01:21Team USA crashes out of the World Cup after Belgium loss00:0000:00Chinese social media users have turned Haaland’s exaggerated facial expressions into a vault of viral memes, comparing him to the cat from the U.S.
cartoon “Tom and Jerry.” Clips of Haaland sprinting across the pitch in his distinctive, forward-leaning style have also become wildly popular.Others have shared memes comparing Haaland’s long blond hair with that of celebrities such as Nicole Kidman, saying he has changed the way they think about “blond beauty.” Since launching his official account on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, just over a month ago, Haaland has amassed 5.8 million followers, more than the population of Norway.In English- and Chinese-language updates throughout the World Cup, Haaland, 25, has shared his excitement over victories such as Norway’s 2-1 win over Brazil on Sunday, with both goals courtesy of Haaland.Haaland celebrating a World Cup goal against Iraq at Boston Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., on June 16.Justin Setterfield / Getty Images“The numbers speak for themselves — he scores a lot of goals,” said Zhang Yihuai, a 23-year-old who has been following the tournament from Shanghai.“I think Erling Haa...