Erling Haaland burst onto the scene and came into his own at RB Salzburg. Throughout two seasons the Norwegian wonder kid made headlines at Salzburg. He scored 29 goals in 27 appearances for the Austrian club in all competitions. The 22-year-old then caught the eye of German giants Borussia Dortmund.
Haaland’s riot didn’t stop even after moving to the Bundesliga. He amassed a humongous 86 goals in just 89 appearances for the Black and Yellow outfit throughout three seasons, in all competitions. It wasn’t long before he had world-renowned coach Pep Guardiola hooked. Signing for Manchester City this season, Haaland has already netted 23 times in just 18 appearances for the blue half of Manchester.
#OnThisDay in 2020
Erling Haaland dropped this celebration after scored a brace vs. PSG on his Champions League debut with Dortmund. 🧘♂️ pic.twitter.com/nrgF35x9GY
— VBET News (@VBETnews) February 18, 2022
One thing, however, that attracts a lot of attention, is Erling Haaland’s celebration.
The Norwegian’s celebration resembles a yoga pose. He sits on the ground after scoring a goal, with his legs crossed, eyes closed, and fingers folded in typical yoga fashion.
Erling Haaland’s face might be new in the Premier League, but not this celebration.
Defenders are in for a torrid time handling this Norwegian blond striker. ⚽⚽ pic.twitter.com/13G6TorQLW
— Kenneth Okocha (@Kenawel) August 10, 2022
The celebration, while not performed by the 22-year-old after every goal, has certainly become a part of the Haaland brand. He has been performing the celebration since his Austrian Bundesliga days, while carrying it forward in the German Bundesliga, and is still going strong with it in the Premier League.
The celebration in question is called the ‘Zen‘ celebration.
The meaning behind Erling Haaland’s Zen celebration
Upon investigation of the Zen celebration, it has been found that it is based on the Sukhasana pose or the Lotus pose in yoga.
When asked why he chose this particular way of celebrating his goals, Haaland gave an interesting answer in an interview.
“I really enjoy meditation. It makes me feel calm and gives me tranquillity. This is why I sometimes celebrate like that when I score,” he said.
Erling Haaland’s advice during isolation 🧘♂️
“Meditation is a serious thing and definitely can help us regulate our own emotions so we can better pay attention to other people and act more altruistically.” pic.twitter.com/DRdWrpAcVh
— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 22, 2020
Such is the impact of the player that his celebration has become popular not just among fans but also among other professional soccer players.
…and here’s the @ErlingHaaland first celebration by Kevin de Bruyne. New teammate is coming. 🧘🏼♂️ #MCFC pic.twitter.com/QeozCzI8bf
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 11, 2022
Shortly before Haaland officially signed for Manchester City, Kevin De Bruyne, his to-be-teammate, modeled his celebration on Erling’s Zen celebration after scoring in the closing stages of last season in the Premier League.
The PSG players celebrated their win against Dortmund by copying Erling Haaland’s celebration…
Shithousery at its finest 😂👏 pic.twitter.com/8SruZ8q6Oo
— ODDSbible (@ODDSbible) March 11, 2020
His celebration has also been used to mock him. In 2020, PSG players mocked Erling Haaland after PSG knocked Dortmund out of the UEFA Champions League.
Packers wide receiver Allen Lazard hit the Erling Haaland celebration 🧘♂️ pic.twitter.com/ZcJHmrtGyb
— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 9, 2022
Moreover, Haaland’s iconic celebration has even inspired some other athletes. Popular NFL star Allen Lazard, who plays as a wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers, also mimicked the Zen celebration.