WWE star Cody Rhodes said on a show that Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is a "top athlete" and suggested that the two could have a "cousin" storyline.
Rhodes, who will challenge CM Punk for the WWE Championship at this weekend's SummerSlam, was recently asked on "The Tonight Show" which celebrities would be suitable for the WWE ring. Names mentioned included Tom Holland, Travis Kelsey, Jason Momoa, and Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.
Speaking about the Norwegian striker, Rhodes said, "He's a top athlete and has the right hairstyle, so we can design a cousin storyline—everyone in the wrestling world is related, so he can be my 'cousin'."
Erling Haaland helped Norway reach the quarterfinals of this summer's World Cup, during which his popularity in the US skyrocketed, gaining over 32 million social media followers. Standing at 1.96 meters tall, Haaland is similar in physique to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and would certainly not look out of place in the WWE ring. However, it's highly unlikely that the Norwegian striker will actually abandon football for wrestling; he still has many years of professional career ahead and many more goals to score.
WWE has a long tradition of inviting celebrities to participate; Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather have both stepped into the ring and earned huge sums of money. NFL legend Tom Brady has also recently been rumored to be joining WWE, and according to The Sun, he is expected to face Logan Paul. In the world of football, Wayne Rooney famously slapped his former Manchester United teammate Wade Barrett on the sidelines during a WWE UK tour.
