The world's most prolific striker is also, apparently, a legitimate gamer. Erling Haaland dropped a "day in the life" video on his YouTube channel this week, and buried between the training sessions and meals was a proper look at his gaming setup. MTN Dew in the Xbox minifridge, LAN parties with friends, and a very specific list of all-time favorites that includes Grand Theft Auto 6 on the horizon.
What Haaland's gaming space actually looks like
The setup is more than aesthetic. Haaland has a dedicated gaming space where he hosts LAN parties, and the Xbox minifridge sitting in the corner is stocked and functional, not just a flex. He made his platform loyalty clear: "I'm a big fan of Xbox. One day, Xbox, I want them to sponsor me."
Here's the thing though: a DualSense controller was also visible on his gaming table. So while the Xbox love is genuine, Haaland appears to be platform-agnostic in practice, which is honestly the most relatable thing about any of this.
The games list that tells you everything
Haaland named Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (the 2009 original, not the 2022 reboot) as one of the top three games ever made. That's a take with genuine texture to it. Not the flashiest choice, but anyone who played MW2 lobbies in their teens will understand exactly where that's coming from.
His "desert island" games are Minecraft and Grand Theft Auto. Both are essentially infinite sandboxes, which tracks for someone whose schedule leaves little room for narrative-heavy 20-hour experiences. The open-world, do-whatever logic of GTA fits a footballer's lifestyle better than most genres would.
The video also had a quietly funny moment: one of the games visible in his Xbox library is FC 24, featuring Haaland himself on the cover. The man plays a game where he is literally the main character.
GTA 6 hype from someone who actually plays GTA
When Haaland got to talking about the upcoming release, he didn't hedge. "I can't wait for the new one," he said, referring to GTA 6. That kind of enthusiasm lands differently when it comes from someone who listed the franchise as a desert island pick rather than just namedropping a headline title.
For PS5 players specifically, the platform differences are worth knowing before you commit. The GTA 6 PS5 exclusive features guide breaks down DualSense haptics, Tempest 3D audio, and load time improvements that separate the PS5 version from the rest.
The timing of all this
Haaland's video landed during the 2026 World Cup, where Norway is still very much in the tournament. His squad faces England in a quarterfinal on July 11, which means the Xbox sponsorship pitch and the GTA 6 hype are both going to have to wait a few more days while he focuses on actual football.
The Xbox sponsorship ask is unlikely to land anytime soon given the company's current restructuring period, but the sentiment is there. And for what it's worth, a footballer with 2.5 million YouTube subscribers who genuinely plays the games, hosts LAN parties, and owns the minifridge is a better brand fit than most celebrity gaming deals that exist purely on paper.
Keep an eye on Norway vs. England on July 11. If Haaland scores, expect the gaming content to follow shortly after.
