Erling Haaland's Teenage Rap Song Surpasses 20 Million Views as Norway Shines at the 2026 World Cup

Norway star Erling Haaland is making headlines for his performances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and his success on the pitch has also revived interest in an unlikely piece of his past—a rap song he recorded as a teenager.

In 2016, when he was just 16 years old, Haaland teamed up with fellow Norwegian youth internationals Erik Botheim and Erik Tobias Sandberg to form a short-lived rap group called Flow Kingz. Performing under the stage name Lyng, Haaland appeared in the trio's only music video, "Kygo Jo," delivering lighthearted verses about everything from making money and world issues to, amusingly, salads.

The song was never meant to be the start of a music career. Haaland later revealed in an interview with Manchester City that the trio created the track simply to pass the time while attending a Norway youth national team camp. Despite its casual origins, the video gradually became an internet favorite as Haaland developed into one of the world's biggest football stars.

Now, thanks to Haaland's remarkable performances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the video has experienced another surge in popularity, surpassing 20 million views on YouTube.

Haaland has been one of the tournament's standout players, leading Norway to its first-ever FIFA World Cup quarterfinal with a memorable victory over Brazil in the Round of 16. The Manchester City striker scored twice in the historic win, bringing his tournament tally to seven goals and drawing level with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé in the race for the Golden Boot.

Norway will next face England in the quarterfinals as the Scandinavian nation continues its bid for an unforgettable World Cup triumph.

Fans can revisit Haaland's unforgettable teenage rap performance by watching the 2016 music video for "Kygo Jo."