Erling Haaland to announce shock retirement?

Sad news for Haaland fans. Speculation had been rife that the winner of the Champions League 2023 and the English Premier League 2024 is about to announce his retirement from sports, at age 26, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 21/07/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a footballer isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a footballer just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouErling

For a little while on Monday evening, #ThankYouErling was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“Erling Haaland was unlike any other footballer we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouErling”
— @universalObserver, 20 Jul 2026

“Haaland wasn't retired?”
— @borisB0, 20 Jul 2026

© 2026 MediaMass All rights reserved. Do not reproduce (even with permission).

Celebrity Central