Haaland leads Viking clap at Man City teammate's wedding in viral video

Norwegian footballer Erling Haaland, whose popularity surged during the 2026 World Cup, has once again gone viral. This time, it was for his energetic participation at the wedding of his Manchester City teammate Gianluigi Donnarumma, where he led a "Viking clap" during the festivities.

Haaland, accompanied by his girlfriend Isabel Haugseng Johansen, was among the guests at the lavish wedding of the Italian goalkeeper and interior designer Alessia Elefante. Amidst the music and late-night revelry, Haaland recreated the "Viking clap" he famously led during the World Cup. Images of the event quickly spread worldwide.

Initially, Haaland, holding a mallet and drum, signaled the start of the ritual, which pays homage to Norway's Viking history. He struck the drum twice, prompting guests to join in, mimicking rowing motions with their arms. The chant "Ro!" meaning "row" in Norwegian, echoed through the celebration. The choreography intensified over several seconds, culminating in a collective celebration.

This chant originated after Norway defeated Italy in a match last June, a crucial step in their World Cup qualification – their first since 1998 and only the third in nearly 90 years, according to FIFA records. The Norwegian team continued the "Viking clap" after each victory in the tournament, including matches against Iraq, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Brazil. Their World Cup journey ended with a quarter-final defeat to England.

The wedding ceremony itself took place at the Church of San Giorgio Martire in Locorotondo, southern Italy. The groom, also the captain of the Italian national team, walked hand-in-hand with his partner of 10 years amidst applause from family and friends in the town's historic center. The bride wore a long veil that concealed her face as she entered the church.

The wedding attracted numerous well-known figures from European football. Among the notable attendees were several Manchester City players and manager Roberto Mancini. Haaland himself had previously gone viral during the World Cup, topping a ranking of footballers who gained the most Instagram followers, adding approximately 30 million. He saw his follower count rise from 40.7 million to 70.7 million, according to the platform SocialBlade. Following their defeat to England, Haaland again made headlines upon landing in Oslo with an unusual companion: a taxidermied raccoon holding a bottle of whisky.

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¡Ro!