Erling Haaland entered the World Cup after another extraordinary season leading Manchester City’s attack.
The Norwegian striker scored 38 goals in 52 appearances across all competitions and secured another Premier League Golden Boot.
His domestic form helped Manchester City lift both the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup during the campaign.
Haaland then carried that momentum onto the international stage as Norway enjoyed the greatest tournament in their history.
The striker scored seven goals in five matches and quickly established himself among the stars of the competition.
He found the net against Iraq and Senegal before delivering a dramatic late winner against Ivory Coast.
Haaland then produced one of the moments of the tournament with a decisive brace against Brazil in the last 16.
Although Norway eventually fell to England after extra time in the quarter-finals, his performances captured worldwide attention.
The Scandinavian nation returned home as heroes after reaching the last eight for the first time ever.
According to L’Équipe, that admiration stretched far beyond Europe and triggered an unexpected trend in Peru.
The Peruvian civil registry revealed that 468 children now carry the name Haaland, while another 91 have been registered as Erling Haaland.
Officials also confirmed that registrations surged after Norway’s memorable victory over Brazil and continued during the quarter-final run.
Haaland is not the only football icon to influence Peruvian parents in recent years. The country has 3,402 people named Messi, including 292 carrying the full name Lionel Messi.
Meanwhile, 1,185 Peruvians share the name Cristiano Ronaldo, while 1,241 have been named after Lamine Yamal.
However, no player comes close to Neymar, with an incredible 33,809 Peruvians carrying the Brazilian’s name.
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