Erling Haaland may be one of the biggest football stars in the world, but a story he shared about watching football at dinner has fans laughing because it feels so relatable. The Manchester City striker revealed in a December 2025 appearance on The Rest Is Football podcast that he simply cannot stay away from the game, even when spending time with his partner, Isabel Haugseng Johansen. During the conversation with Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker, Haaland recalled a dinner from a few months earlier when he checked whether any football matches were on television.
The Dinner That Went Viral
He found a Premier League game between Manchester United and West Ham United and immediately wanted to watch it. According to Haaland, Isabel was not impressed.
“I’m a football fan, so I watch all kinds. We were eating dinner a few months ago and I checked if there were any games. Manchester United vs. West Ham was on, so let’s put it on. My Mrs said, ‘I’m so sick of football. We watch it all the time’. I’m like, ‘Yeah, that’s the reason we’re sitting here’. So we watched it, obviously.”
The funny exchange has gone viral again after football account Footballtweet reshared the clip on X on June 9, 2026.
Why Fans Love This Story
What makes the story popular is how normal it sounds. Fans often see Haaland scoring goals and breaking records, but this moment showed a different side of him. Instead of talking about training or trophies, he was sharing a small family moment that many football supporters understand.
The match Haaland mentioned was a Manchester United versus West Ham United Premier League game that finished in a 1-1 draw. Even though it was not a major title-deciding clash, Haaland still wanted to watch it because, as he explained, he enjoys following all kinds of football.
His joke quickly became the highlight of the story. Fans online responded with playful comments about football obsession and relationship struggles over television choices.
Haaland's Private Life
Haaland and Isabel have known each other since their teenage years in Bryne, Norway, where both were involved in football. The couple generally keep their private life away from the spotlight. They also welcomed their son in late 2024.
The story continues to spread because it shows a simple truth about Haaland. Even when he is away from the pitch, football remains a huge part of his everyday life. For supporters, that passion makes the Manchester City star even more relatable.
