Russian Model Gains Viral Fame as Erling Haaland Lookalike After World Cup Match

Erling Haaland, the Norwegian football star and Manchester City striker, known as Norway's all-time top scorer and a standout player at the 2026 World Cup with seven goals, has inspired a viral sensation beyond the pitch. Russian model Anastasia Kostromitina, who has 69,200 Instagram followers, gained sudden fame by posting a series of short, humorous videos mimicking Haaland's goal celebrations, facial expressions, and poses. These clips quickly captivated a global audience, with many viewers amazed by her striking resemblance to the footballer and joking about them possibly being related.

The viral video, originally shared by her mother Maria on Instagram, has amassed over 93.5 million views, 4.6 million likes, and 69,000 comments. Similar videos have collectively reached around 30 million views within 24 hours following Haaland's victory over Brazil in the World Cup match that left Neymar in tears on the field. Initially hesitant about being labeled Haaland's double, Kostromitina has since embraced the role and the instant fame it brought.

Social media users responded enthusiastically, with comments such as "Now I have two crushes," "Are you sure you're not twins?" and "This is the best Haaland I've ever seen." One user humorously summarized the phenomenon by saying, "Sometimes God gets bored of creating different human faces." The Russian model's viral success highlights the cultural impact of Haaland's World Cup performance and the power of social media to create unexpected celebrity moments.