A viral video of Erling Haaland getting startled by his reflection while eating food has been circulating on social media. However, fact-checking confirms that the footage is AI-generated, made using material from an older clip.
Erling Haaland goes viral for getting scared of his reflection in new video
A social media video shows Erling Haaland eating a mouthful of food at a restaurant while being recorded. The Norwegian footballer first turns to the right before looking at the mirror on his left and getting momentarily frightened. Seeing this, the person recording him laughs with a wheeze.
The clip has drawn a plethora of reactions on social media, with netizens poking fun at him. “He eats like a kid lmao,” one user commented. “Haaland vs Mirror: the only opponent who actually scares him,” another remarked. “Dude needed a Snickers,” a fan wrote under an Instagram post covering the video. Notably, Haaland has not reacted to this video as of this writing.
Users eventually shared context on X (formerly Twitter), revealing that the clip is AI-generated, with the face and attire changed from previously existing footage. The original was uploaded by Jin Long Qiu on TikTok. Notably, Qiu, who reportedly plays an absent-minded mechanic in his reels — thus explaining his dirtied face and hands — seems expressive in the footage, which continues beyond the initial startling reaction (via Lead Stories).
Unlike the responses to the AI-generated video with Haaland, netizens did not find it amusing, with most commenting that it’s not “funny.” This clip comes amid attention surrounding Haaland’s upcoming movie ViQueens. Directed by Harald Zwart and starring Rita Ora and Ella Purnell, a sneak peek was shown at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival (via Deadline).
The adventure-comedy film follows two Viking girls, Ingrid and Hedvig. Known for their fearlessness, they fight tradition and go on a quest to return a stowaway boy to China. During their journey, they go through icy fjords while also coming across Byzantine intrigue and the Silk Road.
Originally written by Abdul Azim Naushad on Mandatory.
