Erling Haaland's 2016 rap song goes viral amid World Cup, Kygo remix earns striker's approval

The original music video has now surpassed 21 million views on YouTube, while the remix has boosted its popularity

Erling Haaland's teenage rap song has become an unexpected viral success during the FIFA World Cup, with a remix by Norwegian DJ Kygo earning the Manchester City striker's enthusiastic backing as interest in the track continues to grow.

The song, Kygo jo, was originally recorded in 2016 by Haaland alongside Norway Under-17 teammates Erik Botheim and Erik Tobias Sandberg under the name Flow Kingz.

Performing as "Lyng", a 15-year-old Haaland appeared in the homemade music video rapping while cooking on a barbecue, jumping on a trampoline and posing with a miniature car.

The track has resurfaced as Haaland leads Norway on its historic World Cup run, helping the nation reach its first-ever quarter-final. The original music video has attracted more than 21 million views on YouTube, while the remix has driven renewed interest across streaming platforms and social media.

Kygo released the remix after previously promising to do so if Haaland scored against Brazil. The striker delivered with two goals in Norway's 2-1 victory, prompting the producer to fulfil his pledge.

The remix reportedly hit No.1 on Spotify in Norway's Top 50 category after its release.

Haaland embraced the song's unexpected popularity with his trademark humour. Seeing the remix become a viral success, he posted on X saying, "Made it moment! Thanks, @kygomusic Does this mean I'm officially an artist now?"

Made it moment!
Thanks, @kygomusic 🤝🏻🎶 Does this mean I’m officially an artist now? pic.twitter.com/6Z9SKf1KGS

— Erling Haaland (@Erling) July 9, 2026

Fans have also welcomed the revival, with comments including, "We lost a musician to football" and "Becoming a professional footballer is probably the biggest publicity stunt a rapper has ever done for their song." Another supporter wrote, "This should be played at the stadium if Norway wins against England."