Erling Haaland has long proved that he lives football not only on the pitch but far beyond it. For the Manchester City striker, a ball and a TV showing live games are just as essential to everyday life as dinner or downtime. A small story from his personal life, which he shared on the podcast The Rest is Football, perfectly illustrates how deeply the Norwegian is immersed in the game.
Football 24/7: A Striker Who Watches Absolutely Everything
Haaland openly admits that he is not just a professional footballer, he is a genuine fan. That is why, in his own words, he is ready to watch almost any match – from a marquee Champions League clash to an ordinary Premier League fixture. If the ball is rolling somewhere, there is a good chance Erling already has that game on his screen.
For the City forward, football is not a nine-to-five job but an endless stream of matches that he consumes willingly and with pleasure. That is why the phrase "I watch any games" from him does not sound like an exaggeration but like a plain description of his usual routine.
Dinner, a Smartphone and Man United – West Ham
A telling episode goes like this: Haaland recalls how he and his girlfriend were having dinner while he was simultaneously checking the fixture list. On his phone was a list of games, and in the schedule there was a Manchester United vs West Ham meeting. For a neutral viewer it is just another match of the round, but for Erling it is a reason to switch the broadcast on immediately.
His girlfriend, tired of the endless background noise of football commentators, finally lost patience and basically said that she was sick of football, that they were watching it all the time. The striker's reply was simple and sharp: he essentially reminded her that it was precisely thanks to football that they were able to sit there in that place, in such surroundings and with that standard of living. After that, Haaland says, they of course went on to watch the game.
When a Joke Hits the Target
That line instantly spread across social media: some took it as a perfect joking counterattack, others as an honest, if slightly harsh, reminder of reality. The phrase sounded both funny and true at the same time: the career of a top-club striker really does determine the level of comfort that he and his loved ones have grown used to.
For many supporters, Erling's character came through in this exchange: direct, slightly shy away from the pitch, yet still certain that football is the central axis of his life. He does not try to pretend that he is detached from the game; on the contrary, he openly shows how dependent he is on it.
The Fans Join the Game as Well
In the comments under this story, fans eagerly joined the discussion. Some joke that the couple are sitting not only on Haaland's money but also on their shared football experience, hinting that his girlfriend is involved in the game as well and knows perfectly well what it means to live in a constant-football mode.
Others note that in everyday life the forward looks more soft-spoken and modest: they recall documentaries and interviews in which his partner teases him freely about his dribbling or his love of good food, and Erling only responds with a slightly embarrassed smile. Against that backdrop, his sharp and precise line at dinner is perceived as a rare but very accurate shot delivered at exactly the right moment.
A Champion Who Remains a Fan
The story about the dinner and the Man United – West Ham game is a small but telling episode in the life of one of modern football's most prolific scorers. Haaland does not turn football into a cold profession he wants to escape from in his spare time. On the contrary, he remains the same boy-fan who greedily catches every broadcast, only now he does it from the status of a Manchester City star.
And it is precisely in this combination – global superstar and eternal fan – that his particular appeal for neutral viewers lies. While some players try to shield themselves from football away from the pitch, Erling frankly admits that if a match is being shown somewhere, he has most likely already switched it on. And, by the looks of it, his loved ones keep gathering around the screen with him as well.
