GOAL has sent a model of Erling Haaland into space to celebrate the striker’s out-of-this-world debut season with Manchester City and launch their new GOAL Galacticos series.
The launch of the 3D-printed Norwegian striker is the first of a new content series called GOAL Galacticos. The regular series will use innovative cross-platform activations across the site’s global editions and social channels to celebrate elite footballers and is kicking it off with Erling Haaland. The objective of the series is to delight fans with never-been-done activations that hero the biggest players in the game.
GOAL teamed up with Sent Into Space for the one-of-a-kind launch held to celebrate Haaland’s record-breaking debut season with Manchester City, which has seen him become the record holder for the most goals in a Premier League season with 36.
Haaland took off from a launch site in Sheffield (UK) and climbed for two and a half hours to 34km (111,549 feet or 21,127 miles) – the closest region of space to Earth – otherwise known as Near Space.
The journey was streamed across GOAL’s YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram channels as well as hosted on GOAL’s website.
The miniature Haaland was designed by Omar Momani, a regular cartoonist for GOAL who captured Haaland’s iconic meditation celebration. The models were created by the digital fabrication and rapid prototyping agency Duke Makes.
While it will take Manchester City fans months to come down from their Premier League title win, Haaland touched back down in the UK suffering only minor damage when he landed in Yorkshire, the county of his birth, after a two-hour journey.
Footballco’s Editorial Planning Lead, Miles Chambers, said: “Erling Haaland’s first year at Manchester City will surely go down as the greatest debut season in the Premier League’s history. He hit the ground running and never stopped. He is, simply put, a phenomenon.
“GOAL’s social and video team crafted this truly unique concept for Haaland’s out-of-this-world year as part of the first edition of GOAL Galacticos – a celebration of elite footballers with innovative content. We can’t wait to share what we have planned next.”
In total five ‘baby Haalands’ were 3D printed, with Manchester City fans to be gifted them in GOAL videos ahead of the FA Cup final, including one signed by the Norwegian striker. These videos are part of GOAL’s Fan Led Video strategy, where our hosts take to the streets to interview and challenge fans around matchday.
Watch Haaland’s journey, both up and down on YouTube.
Haaland’s Season in Numbers
Premier League Goals Scored – 36
Premier League Assists – 8
He holds the record for scoring the most goals (nine) in his first five Premier League games
He is one of only six players to score back-to-back Premier League hat-tricks
Haaland is the quickest player ever to reach three Premier League hat-tricks after getting there in eight games
Haaland has scored more hat-tricks in all competitions this season (6) than every other Premier League player combined (5)
Haaland is the fastest player to ever score 25 goals under Pep Guardiola
Flight Details
Haaland went into space carried by a hydrogen balloon travelling at 17-20 mph
At the top of his flight, Haaland would have experienced temperatures around −65°C (−85°F)
The expanding balloon expands as it rises and at peak altitude will have been the same height as Buckingham Palace
During Haaland’s first five minutes of descent, he would have reached a speed of 200mph before his parachute opened