16 World Cup viral moments – from Haaland’s bromance to Posh Spice’s no-nonsense

This summer’s World Cup action has played out in homes, pubs and fan parks across the UK.

We’ve seen football light up the field – and occasionally break our hearts. Plus plenty of punditry, whether on a Brooklyn balcony or in a Salford studio, glamorous celebrities, hydration break controversies and online watch parties with the likes of IShowSpeed.

Moments like these and from the wider tournament have spilled onto our social feeds, of course, to become viral moments – and memes.

So as the tournament draws to a close, here are some of the more memorable viral moments and trends from over the past five weeks.

While former England captain Sir David Beckham was seen punching the air with delight as England beat Norway in Miami, his wife, Spice Girl Victoria became queen of the World Cup meme for remaining calmly seated in the family executive box.

Comedian Jenny Johnson poked fun at her cool demeanour on Instagram joking that her “energy is electric”.

Inter Miami FC co-owner Sir Becks came to Posh’s defence, though, replying that “she was celebrating inside, I promise. Her reactions were slightly slower than mine”.

Scotland may have exited after the group stage but their supporters left a lasting impression.

Led by bagpipers, the Tartan Army marched through Boston to see the Red Sox, taking over Fenway Park.

US baseball players hailed the atmosphere they created – by singing Scottish football anthems including Yes Sir, I Can Boogie and I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) – as among the best they have experienced outside the World Series.

The fans ingratiated themselves to the locals so much that the Mayor of Boston, Michelle Wu, now plans to formalise an international partnership between the city and Glasgow.

Their trip to Miami looked not half bad too.

The popular football magazine Four Four Two last week selected USA and former Chelsea manager Emma Hayes as its pundit of the tournament.

Hayes “has made the hydration breaks must-watch TV for every game ITV have put her on”, noted writer Steven Chicken.

But the network had to upgrade her tactics corner after viewers made allegations of sexism regarding her set resembling a kitchen with a chalkboard.

Hayes addressed the criticism during a break in the Brazil v Haiti game, however, by wryly encouraging viewers to focus on her match analysis instead.

“I know that’s a challenge for some of us at home,” she quipped, signing off with a pointed “pay attention”.

IShowSpeed, the backflipping, barking and half-and-half shirt-wearing internet personality, will perform his song (World Cup) Champions at the closing ceremony before Sunday’s final.

Revealing the news on Tuesday, he said it would be “one of my most craziest achievements”.

The influencer and online streamer has been one of the real winners at this year’s World Cup, hosting online watch parties from inside stadiums during games.

And while his style of commentary may be a little bit different to Lee Dixon or Alan Shearer, his 52 million followers have been able to see official feeds of certain matches via his YouTube channel, thanks to a special partnership involving Fifa.

Presenter and commentator Chris Latchem tells us: “Fifa want him there because, in a weird roundabout way, he is attracting the legacy stars because they want to be around him because younger people, like their kids, are like, ‘Oh wow, did you see Beckham was with Speed?’.”

To top it all off, the star was gifted a pair of game-worn boots by his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo. A flipping good result.

Former Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker took his podcast, The Rest is Football, to Netflix for the World Cup.

He’s been based in a Times Square studio but one of his fellow podcasters Micah Richards has been commuting back and forth from the Big Apple to Salford to fulfil his BBC duties.

In a weird moment, Lineker – who left the BBC last year after an antisemitism row – briefly re-appeared on the broadcaster, gate-crashing Richards’ analysis of the England v Norway match, which he was doing via video from New York.

The former England striker popped up in the background in his England shirt to declare “definitely a penalty” and “come on England” – while Richards was left speechless.

This all came a few weeks after Lineker, England’s all time second-top World Cup scorer, had presented a surprise opening link for ITV.

“Woah woah woah,” joked actual presenter Laura Woods. “Gary, that’s my job.”

Wherever will he pop up next?

Cape Verde became the smallest country to make the knockout stages and won hearts in the process.

Forty-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha became an overnight global sensation after playing a starring role in his nation’s opening draw against one of the favourites, Spain.

It led to him being reunited with his mother, Ana Cândida Évora, who had initially been unable to travel because of the high costs of getting a US visa.

But better late than never, and with the help of Washington officials she made it in time to embrace her son in training before attending the Uruguay game.

Vozinha’s team-mate, winger Sidny Cabral provided another moment of joy, scoring an incredible extra-time equaliser against Argentina, before heading up into the crowd as if he’d just won Wimbledon to find and hug a loved one of his own.

The beautiful game.

In the US coverage, Fox pundit and ex-USA international Alexi Lalas appeared to be losing the battle of analysis styles with Thierry Henry.

But the knockout blow was landed when the French World Cup winner dummied to roll the ball to Lalas, only to recover it with gallic flair, then putting on an impressive display of kick-ups alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic as the humbled American looked on.

“The studio will never forget,” as Zlatan put it on Instagram.

Despite having been the top scorer in the English Premier for several years, Erling Haaland seems to have passed North America by – until now.

It all changed this summer with the internet effectively honouring the eccentric giant Norway and Manchester City striker with his own cinematic universe of memes on TikTok and Instagram.

And there was plenty of material to draw on, with Haaland featuring alongside his stunt double Channing Tatum in an epic World Cup advert before bagging seven goals, many thousands of new followers and then returning home… with a Racoon.

But it was perhaps his bromance with former Borussia Dortmund team-mate, England star Jude Bellingham that garnered the most attention – as old images and clips of them together resurfaced ahead of their quarter-final match-up.

“He’s such a good guy… we had so much fun together,” noted the Norwegian afterwards. “England is lucky” to have him, he added.

Goal machine Haaland led the Norway fans in their now infamous Viking row following their big win over Brazil.

After 28 years waiting for a World Cup appearance, their supporters were found rowing everywhere, from Times Square (above) to cinemas back home.

It was quite a sight.

Not all Norway fans were having it, though. Emil Anners Lappen was seen sat among the mass rowers unmoved – a la Posh Spice.

He told Sky News he found the whole thing “really stupid” and “annoying” as well as historically inaccurate.

“The Vikings sailed across the Atlantic,” he stressed. “They did not row.”

At the Azteca, England’s Jordan Henderson managed to get himself booked and then suffer a freak arm and wrist injury – all despite having not even played.

The unused veteran was stretchered off and taken to hospital for surgery after hurting himself hurdling an advertising board in the victory celebrations.

Henderson’s captain Harry Kane seemed unconcerned about the injured midfielder, though, in his post match press interview.

He was more worried about the fact his voice had gone on live TV, and in comedy fashion.

If you’d closed your eyes you’d have been forgiven for thinking Kermit the Frog was answering BBC reporter Kelly Somers’ questions.

Rooney, who was cracking up in the studio alongside Richards and former England goalie Joe Hart, called it “the best interview I’ve ever seen”.

But why was Kane’s voice so shot?…

…Because he’d been singing Wonderwall, of course!

Sang by supporters (including Beckham) and players alike after all five of England’s victories – from Dallas to Miami via Mexico City – the new trend also saw the 1995 Oasis classic surge back up the charts.

One music journalist told us it was the “perfect football song” with its melodious mix of “euphoria and melancholy”.

One of the most controversial moments of the tournament saw Fifa overturn a red card given to USA striker Folarin Balogun, after a quick phone call between the US President Donald Trump and his Fifa counterpart, Gianna Infantino.

A Trump card, if you will.

It meant Balogun could line up against Belgium, who routinely thrashed the hosts.

Belgium’s own star striker Romalu Lukaku celebrated his goal by pointing an angry finger up towards where the dignitaries sit before leading his side in a dance that appeared to mock the US president’s famous moves.

Footage shared online showed the players continuing the dance in the changing room afterwards to the tune of a song Trump frequently plays at rallies – YMCA.

That was how BBC presenter Kelly Cates described him and it’s hard to disagree.

The Spain winger’s three-year-old brother Keyne has been another viral sensation this summer, discovering golf to be an incredibly frustrating sport, among other things.

Keyne lost the plot in a wholesome way having caught himself on the big screen after Spain’s win over Belgium.

Luckily his big brother, still only 19 himself, appeared to spot it and was seen smiling up at him from the pitch.

Yamal, as a baby boy himself, was famously pictured being bathed by then Barcelona star Lionel Messi.

Now the two will meet in Sunday’s final.

DR Congo superfan Michel Kuka Mboladinga, better known as Lumumba Vea or the “living statue”, became one of the most recognisable spectators early on in the tournament.

He was pictured being completely still for the duration of matches, with one arm raised while smartly dressed in his country’s colours.

The stance recreates that of a statue housed in his country’s capital Kinshasa – a tribute to Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of the First Congolese Republic in 1960.

But it could also work well as an offside trap.

And finally, Scotland fans found their own duck, as did Argentina. But the mightiest one for sure was Merlin, who became co-hosts Mexico’s World Cup “ambassador” after videos of the family pet were shared on social media.

The two-year-old was seen proudly waddling through the streets of Mexico City in his kit.

It’s fair to say, he had a quacking tournament.