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Not every sports meme comes from an incredible moment or a dramatic reaction during a game. Sometimes, all it takes is thousands of fans independently deciding that a famous athlete looks uncannily similar to a fictional character.
This is exactly what's happened with Norwegian football star Erling Haaland and Dragon Ball Z villain Majin Buu (especially the "Super Buu" version).
Known as the "Erling Haaland Majin Buu" meme, the long-running comparison has inspired tons of fan art, image edits and reaction memes since first appearing around early 2021, reaching new heights during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
But where did the comparison originally come from, and why has it remained such a popular joke among football fans? Let's explain.
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Where Does The 'Erling Haaland Majin Buu' Meme Come From?
The earliest known comparison between Norwegian soccer star Erling Haaland and DBZ character Majin Buu appeared on January 9th, 2021.
On that day, X / Twitter user DepalomitaOk shared an illustration depicting Haaland as Super Buu while he was playing for the Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund.
The artwork gave the Dragon Ball Z character Haaland's signature blond hair, creating what is believed to be the first documented version of the meme.
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Although the original post received relatively little attention, the comparison continued spreading as more football fans began noticing similarities between Haaland's facial features and the iconic anime villain in the following years.
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How Is The 'Erling Haaland Majin Buu' Meme Used?
The Erling Haaland Majin Buu meme typically consists of side-by-side comparison images, fan art or edits transforming Haaland into Super Buu.
As we've mentioned, the joke is pretty basic and essentially just plays on the perceived resemblance between the footballer's facial features, expressions and hairstyle and the Dragon Ball Z character.
The comparison steadily gained popularity throughout 2021 as creators produced highlight videos, image edits and memes pairing Haaland with Majin Buu.
One notable example came in May 2021, when Bleacher Report Football shared an edited image of Haaland as Buu after he scored his 40th goal of the season.
The joke continued circulating over the following years as Haaland's profile grew, with anime fan pages and football communities regularly revisiting the comparison whenever he delivered standout performances and his fame grew.
By the time the 2026 FIFA World Cup began, the meme had already become a familiar running joke among fans.
However, as Haaland's performances and antics off the pitch during the tournament drew increased attention across social media, the Majin Buu comparisons experienced another surge in popularity across the web.
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New side-by-side images, fan art and explainer videos spread widely online, cementing the meme as one of the footballer's most recognizable internet nicknames alongside other famous player lookalike jokes.
What Are Some Examples Of 'Erling Haaland Majin Buu' Memes?
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What Are Some Related Memes To 'Erling Haaland Majin Buu'?
Mbappé Donatello
The Erling Haaland Majin Buu meme is frequently compared to the "Mbappé Donatello" meme because both formats humorously compare elite footballers to fictional characters based on perceived facial similarities. While Haaland is likened to Majin Buu, French footballer Kylian Mbappé is commonly compared to Donatello from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Both memes have become recurring jokes among football and soccer fans, resurfacing whenever the players receive increased attention online or people discover the resemblance.
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For the full history of the Erling Haaland Majin Buu meme, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.
Read the original article on Know Your Meme.
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