Haaland’s Norway Books First World Cup Since 1998, and He Brought Home a Stuffed Raccoon

Erling Haaland returned to Norway carrying an unusual keepsake, a stuffed toy raccoon nicknamed the "whiskey raccoon," after the national team secured qualification for the FIFA World Cup, according to CNA.

The souvenir, rather than any silverware, became the talking point of the homecoming. Norway has not appeared at a World Cup finals since 1998, making the qualification the country's most significant men's football milestone in a generation.

The toy raccoon references a running joke within the squad, and its prominence on the trip underscored the informal, celebratory mood around a team that has spent decades on the outside of the sport's biggest event.

Why the qualification matters

For Norwegian football, ending a 28-year drought reshapes expectations for a generation of fans who have never seen their senior men's side reach the tournament. Haaland, one of the most prolific strikers in the modern game at Manchester City, has become the central figure in that turnaround.

The absence of a trophy is the point. Qualification is not the same as winning, and the team's celebration, complete with a plush mascot, reflects the distinction between reaching the stage and competing for the title once there.

What comes next

Qualification places Norway among the field for the upcoming World Cup, though seeding and group placement will determine how far the squad can realistically progress. For now, the story is the return itself, and the odd companion that made the journey with it.