Norway came home without a World Cup. Erling Haaland came home with a raccoon holding a bottle of whiskey.
Spotted stepping off the national team's flight back to Oslo on July 13, the Manchester United striker was clutching what turned out to be a "Whiskey Raccoon" — a taxidermy piece from Wild Bill's Western Store in Dallas, priced at $750 and, predictably, sold out within hours of the photos going viral.
How a small Dallas store became Haaland's most talked-about moment
The raccoon's origin traces back to Norway's Round of 32 win over the Ivory Coast, when Haaland and his teammates stopped at Wild Bill's and went full tourist — cowboy hats, western apparel, the lot. Haaland even wore the store's "Y'all can kiss my Dallas" shirt, which is now prominently featured on Wild Bill's website. The store was having a noticeably busy day when USA TODAY called on July 13.
"It's really special when this happens for a small store like us," said owner Julie Newport.
Haaland posted the raccoon to X with the caption "It followed me home," then immediately turned it into audience participation on Instagram — asking followers to name it, with options including Cowboy, Ranger, TEX, and R.O.W. (Raccoon On Wheels). His YouTube channel has footage of the entire Dallas shopping trip.
It's worth putting this in context: Norway were knocked out by England in the Round of 16, a painful exit for a squad that had genuine ambitions of going deep. Haaland scored in the 2-1 group stage win over Ivory Coast, but the tournament ended before it really got started for him on the pitch. Off it, though? He may have had the most talked-about World Cup of any player who didn't make the quarterfinals.
The supply problem nobody saw coming
If you want your own whiskey raccoon, you may be waiting. Newport confirmed the supplier's taxidermist has retired, meaning stock is genuinely limited — not the manufactured scarcity you see from streetwear brands. The item showed as sold out on July 13, with more inventory listed as incoming.
As for Haaland's relationship with America: "I think they are kind of hilarious, as well. They are funny. So I like the way they are," he said before the England game. That warmth came through across his entire World Cup social media presence — embracing fans, leaning into every bit of American culture he encountered.
The raccoon still needs a name. The poll is open.
