Erling Haaland has scored with both feet, his head, from inside the box, and from outside it at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He’s the only player at the tournament who can claim that distinction, and now the internet wants him to complete the set with a handball goal, a la Diego Maradona’s infamous 1986 “Hand of God” moment against England.
It’s a funny meme. It’s also a serious market event. Haaland’s on-pitch dominance has triggered a cascade of trading activity across crypto, from Solana-based meme tokens to rare NFT collectibles.
Seven goals, four games, one Norwegian wrecking ball
Haaland has tallied 7 goals across Norway’s first four World Cup matches. The biggest statement came when Norway upset Brazil to advance past the Round of 16. Haaland scored twice in that match, effectively ending Brazil’s tournament.
Maradona’s legendary handball goal against England at Estadio Azteca in 1986 remains one of football’s most controversial and celebrated moments. The internet has now collectively decided that Haaland needs to replicate it to achieve true completionism.
Meme tokens catch the Haaland fever
Following Norway’s victory over Brazil, Solana-based meme tokens including $HAALAND and $VIKINGROW saw immediate spikes in trading volumes.
Beyond meme tokens, the digital collectibles market has also responded to Haaland’s dominance. Sorare, the fantasy football platform built on blockchain rails, has reported substantial sales activity around Haaland-linked NFT cards. A rare 1-of-1 Sorare card of the striker previously sold for 265.1 ETH, a figure that surpassed $600K at the time of the transaction.
What this means for crypto investors
For NFT collectors, the calculus is slightly different. Rare digital cards from platforms like Sorare carry some structural demand from fantasy football players who need them for lineup optimization. That creates a floor that pure meme tokens don’t have.
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