Manchester City superstar has launched formal legal proceedings against an airline, accusing the company of using his distinctive hairstyle to sell flight tickets without permission during this summer’s World Cup.
City forward, Erling Haaland, who inspired Norway to the quarter-finals of the tournament before his side’s 2-1 defeat by England, is understood to be unhappy that the Norwegian Air Shuttle used his old blond ponytail as the centrepiece of an advertising campaign across Instagram and TikTok.
The company digitally edited an image of one of its aircraft so that it appeared to sport Haaland’s trademark hairstyle, posting it alongside the caption “We’ve never looked more Norwegian.”
The post has since been taken down, but the 26-year-old’s lawyers say the damage had already been done.
Haaland has since swapped the ponytail for a buzz cut, but his representatives argue the airline had no right to trade on his image in the first place.
The case, filed on behalf of the striker and his commercial company York Promotions Ltd, is due before an Oslo court on 9 October, with reports in Norway suggesting a video planning hearing is scheduled for that date.
‘Illegal use’ of player’s image, says lawyer
Haaland’s lawyer, Thomas Hagen, said the case centred on the airline’s attempt to cash in on the forward’s fame without his consent.
“This case is about the illegal use by Norwegian of Haaland’s distinguishing features to sell air tickets during the World Cup finals,” Hagen said.
Norwegian Air Shuttle has pushed back on the claim, insisting the posts were nothing more than good-natured support for the national team.
Spokeswoman Catharina Solli said: “We struggle to understand why we have been taken to court. Just like almost everyone else in Norway, we encouraged the national team during the summer.
“We did this by publishing a few things spontaneously, inspired by social media trends. It is unfortunate that this encouragement has been greeted by a lawsuit. But we hope to have a reasonable dialogue, in order that we can continue in the future to support our sporting heroes together.”
A separate company spokesperson, press officer Eivind Hammer Myhre, added that the airline was blindsided by the legal move, telling Norwegian news agency NTB it was “a lawsuit that we do not understand.”
Legal experts in Norway believe Haaland has a strong case. Tore Lunde, a professor of marketing law at the University of Bergen, has suggested that, under the country’s Marketing Act and personality protection rules, the City striker is likely to prevail if the dispute reaches a full hearing.
The club’s own commercial lawyers will be watching closely, given how heavily Haaland’s image is used in Manchester City’s own marketing and merchandising operations.
Haaland’s focus remains on the pitch under new boss Maresca
Despite the looming court date, Haaland has continued with international duty, training with the Norway squad as they prepare to face another opponent in their latest UEFA Nations League fixture.
His club future, by contrast, is a more straightforward story of continuity and goals: he remains the focal point of Manchester City’s attack under new head coach Enzo Maresca, who took charge at the Etihad this season.
Maresca’s City have leaned heavily on Haaland’s finishing as the Italian has looked to blend his possession-based principles with the Norwegian’s instinctive penalty-box threat, and the striker’s World Cup exploits. This includes seven goals as Norway beat Brazil en route to the last eight.
