Haaland sues airline over use of image linked to his hairstyle

Norwegian star Erling Haaland is embroiled in a legal dispute with Norwegian Air Shuttle over allegations of using elements associated with his image in a promotional post during the FIFA World Cup.

Thomas Hagen, the lawyer for Manchester City striker, stated in a statement to Agence France-Presse that the case involves the "illegal use of Haaland's trademarks" by the company in promoting travel tickets during the FIFA World Cup.

According to the Norwegian newspaper "Verdens Gang", the company shared a composite image on its social media accounts of one of its planes, which appeared to have a ponytail hairstyle, a clear reference to Haaland's famous hairstyle, before later deleting the post. The account wrote in the caption: "We have never looked this Norwegian before."

The company confirmed it received notification of the lawsuit, expressing its surprise at the move. Its spokesperson, Katarina Soule, stated: "Like most Norwegians, we supported the national team this summer through some spontaneous posts inspired by social media trends."

She added: "It is unfortunate that this support is being received through a lawsuit, but we hope for a logical dialogue that allows us to continue supporting our joint sports champions in the future as well."

The Oslo court is set to hear the case on October 9, while all legal details regarding the claim made by Haaland remain unclear.