Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has turned one of his most bizarre internet memes into a real-life skit after joining forces with YouTube sensation MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson.
The Norwegian football star appeared alongside MrBeast in a short video shared on the creator’s social media platforms on Monday. The clip quickly attracted millions of views, with the two recreating a viral AI-generated video that had previously fooled social media users.
MrBeast captioned the video, “Scariest meal of my life @erling,” adding to the comedic nature of the clip.
Haaland brings viral AI meme to life
The new video shows Haaland and MrBeast sitting together at a dining table. At one point, Haaland suddenly performs an exaggerated flinch, closely mimicking the dramatic reaction seen in the original viral clip.
The difference this time was that there was no AI face-swap involved. Haaland himself recreated the expression and movement, effectively turning the internet meme into a real-life parody.
The original clip had gone viral earlier this year after appearing to show Haaland eating at a restaurant when he suddenly spotted his reflection in a mirror and recoiled in shock.
Original video was AI-generated
Although the footage initially appeared convincing, it was later identified as an AI-generated face-swap.
Haaland's face had reportedly been digitally placed over footage featuring Chinese comedy duo Jin Long and Qiu Qiu. The realistic editing led many viewers to believe that Haaland was genuinely featured in the strange restaurant scene before fact-checkers clarified that the video had been manipulated.
Rather than ignore the meme, Haaland has now leaned into it by recreating the exact reaction himself.
Fans call Haaland a comedian
The collaboration between Haaland and MrBeast has sparked plenty of amusement online, with fans praising the footballer for joining in on the joke.
“Best World Cup meme,” an Instagram user wrote.
“Bro officially created his own version (laughing emoticon),” another user commented.
“Haaland is lowkey a comedian,” a third user reacted.
The clip adds another memorable entry to Haaland's growing collection of viral off-field moments, while also showing how celebrities can turn AI-generated internet memes into fresh content.
