By God’sbest Christ’sfullness
Russian model Anastasia Kostromina has attracted widespread attention on social media after a video highlighting her resemblance to Norwegian footballer Erling Haaland drew millions of views during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Kostromina, 24, posted the video on Instagram earlier this month, recreating Haaland’s facial expressions and mannerisms after years of being told by friends and family that she looked like the Manchester City striker.
The clip quickly gained popularity, receiving more than 6.4 million likes.
Speaking to AFP in Moscow, Kostromina said she was surprised by the response.
“At first, I did not even know what was happening. It felt like a dream,” she said. “I never expected the video to go so viral, but I’m happy about it anyway.”
She admitted she initially found the comparison unusual because Haaland is a male footballer but later accepted it with good humour.
“At first, to be honest, I didn’t even understand how I could possibly resemble a male football player. But then I started to take it with a sense of humour and now I’m completely fine with it,” she said.
Kostromina said she supported Norway throughout the tournament and was disappointed by the team’s elimination.
“I was really rooting for them and was on the edge of my seat,” she said.
The Russian model also expressed hope that Haaland would eventually see the viral video and find it amusing.
“I hope he sees my video, maybe even laughs,” she said.
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