Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland publicly called out a troll after he sent him a hateful message on his birthday.Â
Haaland also hilariously took aim at social media users who criticised his hair, saying they had no right to do so.
The Norwegian striker is currently enjoying some much-needed downtime after competing in the FIFA Club World Cup with Man City.
Pep Guardiola’s side qualified from the group stage in style before suffering a shock defeat to Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal. Haaland had a decent tournament in the United States, as he scored three goals and provided an assist in four outings.
Erling Haaland Calls Out Troll After Receiving Hateful Message on His Birthday
Erling Haaland celebrated his 25th birthday on July 21, enjoying the rare opportunity to fully relax while on holiday. Social media was flooded with heartfelt birthday wishes, but an insensitive comment from a troll left a sour taste in his mouth.
In a direct message to Haaland on Instagram, the troll, Will McHale, wrote:
“I hope you d** in a while you such a f***ing dumb b***h and you look homeless and r****** go k*** yourself.”
Seven minutes after McHale’s hateful message, Haaland dropped an Instagram Story, slamming his behaviour.
The caption of Haaland’s Instagram Story read:
“Thanks for a lovely birthday message Will McHale! Hope your parents are proud of this message you just sent to me.”
The way Haaland handled the abuse is quite a departure from tradition. Generally, footballers tend to ignore such remarks. But in hitting back, Haaland has shown his human side, once again stirring the need for social media moderation.
In the past, the likes of Vinicius Junior, Marcus Rashford, and Bukayo Saka have been subjected to social media hatred. Despite efforts, authorities have yet to find an effective solution.
Haaland Defends His Hairstyle on His Birthday
Surprisingly, that was not Erling Haaland’s only message for trolls on Monday. Earlier in the day, he posted a cheeky message on social media, saying he would not entertain remarks about his hair.
Haaland, who is one of the most expensive players in FPL 2025/26, wrote (via X):
“Half way to 50! 😂
Thanks everyone for all the birthday wishes.
Before you come for my hair, take a moment in front of the mirror and ask yourself—am I truly qualified to judge hair that looks better than mine?”
Half way to 50! 😂
Thanks everyone for all the birthday wishes.
Before you come for my hair, take a moment in front of the mirror and ask yourself—am I truly qualified to judge hair that looks better than mine? pic.twitter.com/y1kG9nShlt— Erling Haaland (@ErlingHaaland) July 21, 2025
Man City teammates Jack Grealish and Manuel Akanji, journalist Fabrizio Romano, as well as Man City and Norway’s social media handles wished Haaland on his birthday. He put some of those messages up via Instagram Stories.
Haaland and Man City will take on Palermo in a pre-season friendly on August 9. The following week, they will begin their Premier League campaign with a clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers. According to the best football betting sites, Man City are only the third favourite to claim the English top-flight title this season.
