CORNERFLICK
Erling Haaland has moved ahead of Manchester City on Instagram, with his official account passing 57 million followers for the first time.
City’s official page is on about 56 million, underlining how quickly the Norway striker’s profile has grown during the World Cup.
Haaland, 25, has been one of the tournament’s standout players for Norway. He has scored crucial goals and helped carry his side into the quarter-finals.
His biggest moment came against Brazil, when he scored twice in a result that knocked out one of the title contenders and drew attention across the world.
Sports media figures cited in the source say Haaland added more than 10 million followers during the tournament alone.
The surge puts him alongside the small group of footballers whose personal brands now outrank their clubs on social media, a list that includes Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Analysts also expect his following to keep rising if Norway go further in the competition.