Manchester City forward Erling Haaland shared a photo on October 18, 2026, holding a prepared mate gourd and thanking three Argentine national team players for introducing him to the beverage, according to Infobae.

The 26-year-old Norwegian striker posted the image across his official social media channels, drawing more than 1 million likes and 20,000 comments on Instagram within its first two hours online. In his post, Haaland wrote in English: “Gracias Julián Álvarez, Enzo Fernández and Gerónimo Rulli for introducing this lovely drink”, accompanied by a mate emoji, as reported by Diario Río Negro.

The gesture prompted public responses from the players mentioned. Julián Álvarez, who now plays for Atlético de Madrid after two seasons alongside Haaland at Manchester City, replied on Instagram with “Erlingoooo” and mate emojis. Los Andes reported that Fernández also replied on X with the phrase “Protocol my friend.”

Norwegian Embassy and Public Reactions Follow Viral Post

The post generated responses outside of sports circles when the Embassy of Noruega in Argentina replied on X: “Welcome to mate! It’s a one-way trip,” as noted by Infobae and Los Andes. Fans flooded the comments with memes, citizenship jokes, and expressions of support across Instagram and X.

The online traction followed a prior viral moment on social media involving Haaland and Argentine football culture. Infobae reported that the striker previously liked a viral video connecting him to Boca Juniors, a club he grew to appreciate through former Borussia Dortmund teammate Leonardo Balerdi.

Shared Locker Room Roots With Julián Álvarez

The habit originated primarily from Haaland’s two-year dressing room partnership with Álvarez at Manchester City from mid-2022 to mid-2024, according to Infobae. Los Andes noted that Álvarez regularly prepared the infusion for Haaland before training sessions in England, establishing a ritual that the forward continued alongside Fernández and Gerónimo Rulli.

TyC Sports reported that the viral social media post followed Haaland’s performance on October 17, 2026, when he scored a brace in Manchester City’s 3-2 victory over Ipswich Town. The win kept the club at the top of the Premier League table with 21 points, backed by Haaland’s scoring run of 12 goals in nine total matches at the start of the season.