Erling Haaland has, perhaps unsurprisingly, been one of the stars of the 2026 World Cup.
The Manchester City striker has spearheaded Norway’s run to the quarterfinals, scoring seven goals—joint-most in the tournament alongside Harry Kane and Lionel Messi—as the Vikings have sailed past the likes of Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and most memorably, Brazil.
His goalscoring exploits haven’t changed on the biggest stage, but one thing has: the name on the back of his jersey.
Rather than wearing simply “Haaland” as he does for City, Norway’s star striker has “Braut Haaland” printed across his shoulders, adding his middle name.
So why the change?
Why Does Haaland Use ‘Braut’ on His World Cup Jersey?
The name on the back of Erling Haaland’s Norway jersey is more than just a slight change—it is a nod to his family roots.
Haaland has added “Braut,” his mother Gry Marita Braut’s surname, to his shirt as a tribute to her side of the family. His father, Alf-Inge Haaland, was a former Premier League player, but the striker’s full legal name has always been Erling Braut Haaland.
In Norway, it is common for middle names to function as inherited family names, often helping preserve surnames from a parent’s side of the family. For Haaland, using “Braut” allows him to represent that connection on the international stage.
The gesture also reflects the close relationship Haaland has with his mother, who herself was a national heptathlon champion in Norway in the 1990s. The pair were pictured together celebrating Manchester City’s Champions League triumph in 2023.
This is not the first time the striker has used the name.
Earlier in his career, he was known as “Erling Braut Haaland” before eventually simplifying his shirt name to just “Haaland” at club level. The 2026 World Cup, however, marks a return to the full version while playing for his country.
The change also came during Norway’s recent rise. Haaland wore “Haaland” during parts of qualifying, including matches against Estonia and Italy, before switching to “Braut Haaland” later in the campaign as Norway secured its place at the tournament.
Interestingly, Haaland’s use of his surname as we know it currently only began in 2019 when he left Norwegian side Molde to join Red Bull Salzburg. At that point, he was known as “Håland,” but made the decision to switch to a spelling that would help his appeal to the international audience, well aware that he was destined to attract fans all across the globe.
“One step ahead, all the time,” Haaland explained.
