Haaland's new (stuffed) pet

Norwegian football star Erling Haaland made an unusual entrance upon landing in Norway, drawing attention not for his athletic prowess but for his peculiar travel companion.

As the national team returned following their World Cup exit, Haaland disembarked from the plane at Gardermoen carrying a stuffed raccoon as his hand luggage. The taxidermied creature, which holds a glass bottle, quickly became the center of attention, overshadowing even the arrival of coach Ståle Solbakken and captain Martin Ødegaard.

This is not the first public appearance of Haaland's "new pet." He had previously shared a video on Snapchat featuring the stuffed raccoon while the team was in Texas for a World Cup match. The video was filmed at Wild Bill’s Western Store in Dallas, where Haaland also purchased a cowboy hat and boots.

Online, the item is listed on the store's website as "whiskey raccoon h-mt-f" and comes with a price tag of $750, equivalent to 7,337 Norwegian kroner. Reports suggest the item is now sold out, indicating Haaland may have purchased one of the last available units. Wild Bill’s Western Store has confirmed that Haaland acquired the stuffed animal from their establishment.