Erling Braut Haaland saksøker Norwegian etter VM

Erling Braut Haaland, the Norwegian striker, has initiated legal proceedings against Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, according to a statement from his legal representative, Thomas Hagen. The court filing, revealed in Oslo District Court, indicates that Haaland and his British company will have a legal hearing with Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA on Friday, October 9th. The case centers around Norway's public figures exploiting Haaland's image for advertising flights during the World Cup.

The court filing specifies that the matter pertains to a violation of the advertising law. A planning meeting, scheduled for video conference between 10 and 11, has been set. Such a meeting typically involves the judge and parties involved before the main proceedings are held. Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA has removed posts from its social media platforms that featured Haaland, notably one where the company photoshopped Haaland's signature hairstyle into a Norwegian flag.

Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA's press agent, Eivind Hammer Myhre, confirmed to VG that the company received the lawsuit and expressed confusion over the legal action. Myhre emphasized that Norwegian, like many others, posted about the national team on social media during the summer. Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA contends that the posts should be understood in the context of the broader trend on social media. The company hopes for a reasonable dialogue to continue its joint enthusiasm for sports.

Haaland is currently with the Norwegian national team in Wales, where they are set to face Wales in a Nations League match on Thursday evening. The Norwegian team set a benchmark for the nation and the world during the 2018 World Cup, where they beat Brazil and lost to England in the quarterfinals. Haaland was among the most prominent players during the World Cup, scoring seven goals.