Erling Haaland has spent the World Cup looking like EA Sports built a novelty Viking player and maxed out every slider.
Norway’s 6-foot-5 goal machine has become one of the tournament’s biggest attractions, scoring in bunches, bulldozing defenses and helping push Norway deeper into the tournament than ever before.
But away from the noise, the goals and the growing global obsession, Haaland’s private life is far less cartoonish than his on-field résumé.
At the center of that quieter world is Isabel Haugseng Johansen, his longtime girlfriend and the mother of his son.
Their story starts in Bryne, Norway, the small town where both grew up and the location of the local club for which Haaland played.
Johansen was a footballer herself, playing as a forward in the club’s women’s setup as a teenager. That shared background has become a meaningful part of their relationship. Haaland has said it helps that she understands the sport.
The romance itself did not begin with a flashy celebrity introduction. It started much more simply. After Haaland had moved to Germany to play for Borussia Dortmund, Johansen reached out to him on Instagram.
“She sent me a message,” Haaland previously said. “She was the one who checked me out. I wasn’t the one who checked her out.”
Haaland may be one of the most larger-than-life athletes on the planet, but apparently even he needed a DM assist.
Their version of date night sounds just as low-key. Haaland has said that he likes to cook dinner for the two, while Johansen enjoys gaming, so the two often wind up playing Minecraft together, building houses and hanging out away from the cameras.
And when they return to Bryne, their ideal night can get even simpler: takeaway kebab pizza from Haaland’s favorite hometown chain, Yummy Time.
On one hand, Haaland lives every bit like a global superstar. He makes millions playing for Manchester City, owns a £6.2 million ($8.3 million) home, which comes with a lake, outdoor pool, sprawling gardens, a coach house and stables.
He has also reportedly received planning permission for a four-bay garage to house his $13 million supercar collection, including a rare $5.36 million Bugatti Tourbillon.
Johansen, meanwhile, has started to build her own lane.
She has moved into fashion and content creation, building a major social media following, landing a Norwegian magazine cover and partnering with jewelry brand Langgaard. The shift makes sense for someone who has described style as more than just clothes.
“For so many years, I lived in my football clothes,” Johansen told MinMote, explaining that her relationship with fashion has matured over time.
She has also said fashion now reflects her “personality and mood,” while describing her style as elegant, modern and rooted in timeless pieces rather than in chasing every trend.
Motherhood has shaped that evolution, too. Johansen has said her style has changed since having her son because she needs clothes that still let her move, run around and live real life. In other words, the former footballer has not traded practicality for polish. She has just found a way to make both work.
Still, she has been careful about protecting her family life.
The couple welcomed their first child, a son, in December 2024, but have not publicly shared his name or face.
“I want to protect my family, but at the same time I want people to have the opportunity to get to know me and who I am better,” Johansen told KK magazine. “Then the challenge becomes setting boundaries for what is private and what is not.”
During Norway’s World Cup run, she has become a familiar presence, supporting Haaland from the stands and sharing selective glimpses of the tournament experience.
She has posted from cities across the United States, celebrated his wins and shown pride in what Norway has accomplished.
Haaland has also said fatherhood has changed the way he disconnects from football. Instead of carrying every training session, missed chance or match into his personal life, he now has something at home that pulls him out of that world completely.
That might be the most revealing detail of all.
Haaland’s public image is all power: the sprinting, the scoring, the celebrations, the enormous appetite and the almost comical dominance. But the private version seems built around much smaller things: family, food, video games, home and a partner who knew him long before the rest of the world did.
So while World Cup fans see the ponytail, the goals and the giant striker terrorizing defenders, Johansen gets the other version.
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