Haaland Sweeps Birth Records in Peru

Ibrahim bin Mohammed from Riyadh

Saturday, July 11, 2026 12:16 | 2 minutes read

The name of Norwegian striker Erling Haaland is no longer echoed only in global football stadiums, but has forcefully made its way into the official civil registry records in Peru, where hundreds of families have named their newborns after the Manchester City English forward, driven by the great passion surrounding the 2026 World Cup.

The National Civil Registry in Peru, according to local media, announced striking figures reflecting the admiration for the 25-year-old player: 468 newborns were registered with the name "Haaland," while 91 others chose to give their children the full double name "Erling Haaland," and four families went as far as registering the full triple name "Erling Braut Haaland," according to official data.

Iván Torres, spokesperson for the Civil Registry, commented to "Panamericana Televisión": "Big stars in the world of football are always a source of inspiration for citizens in Peru to choose resounding and famous names for their children."

Torres explained that the peak of these births began with the first days of the World Cup, but numbers skyrocketed wildly right after Norway succeeded in eliminating Brazil and making a historic qualification to the quarterfinals, prompting the Peruvian official to say jokingly: "Haaland has become a Peruvian too."

Haaland (25) led his country to an unprecedented achievement by reaching the quarterfinals after scoring 7 goals in just 4 matches, including a decisive brace that knocked out Brazil 2-1, ahead of the team's anticipated match against England on Saturday evening.

This phenomenon is not new to the South American country; Peru has a long history of naming children after sports legends.

State records reveal current figures of individuals bearing the names of football stars: Neymar tops the historical list with 33,809 people carrying the Brazilian star's name; Lionel Messi has 3,402 people named after him, including 292 registered with the full double name of the Argentine legend; Lamine Yamal has 1,241 people named after the young Spanish gem; and Cristiano Ronaldo: the Portuguese striker has 1,185 namesakes in Peru.

With the World Cup competitions continuing, it seems that Peru's pitches, streets, and future schools will witness a new generation carrying the genes of admiration for the terrifying Norwegian striker.

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