The 2026 World Cup will go down in history for many reasons, but there is one that will likely endure far longer than any memorable goal: the decision by hundreds of Peruvian parents to name their children after footballers. The phenomenon is so notable that it has already left an indelible mark on the country's civil registry, where officials have encountered a boom of babies bearing the names of global football stars, headed by more than 500 registered as Haaland.

How Erling Haaland became a Peruvian phenomenon

The Manchester City Norwegian striker has captured unprecedented attention in recent months, to the point of inspiring life-changing decisions in Peruvian families. According to xataka.com, the National Registry of Identification and Civil Status (Reniec) has registered 560 people with Haaland in their name, of which 91 are registered directly as Erling Haaland, and four bear the player's full name: Erling Braut Haaland.

His Viking appearance—blonde Scandinavian, almost two metres tall—combined with feats on the pitch and some viral videos retouched with artificial intelligence, have turned him into a mass phenomenon. It is not far-fetched to think that the trigger for this boom in registrations has been precisely the ongoing World Cup, although Reniec has not specified the exact dates when this spike occurred.

Messi, Neymar and football giants in Peruvian identity documents

The truth is that Haaland is not the only global star to have inspired names in Peru. In fact, he is not even the most popular. According to data provided by Reniec and shared by local media such as the Peruvian News Agency (Andina), the list of footballers living in the Peruvian civil registry is practically endless:

• 33,809 people named Neymar, making it the most popular football-related name
• 3,402 Peruvians named Messi, including nearly 300 named directly Lionel Messi
• 1,502 Griezmann
• 1,241 Yamal
• 1,200 Cristiano Ronaldos
• Dozens more including Salah (319), Mbappé (238), Pedri (175), Neuer, Bellingham, Lewandowski, Rashford, Harry Kane, Rodrigo de Paul, Luka Modric, Vinícius Junior, Lukaku, Kai Havertz, Dembelé, Courtois and Michael Olise, among others

The conclusion is inevitable: Peruvians have a weakness for the names of great football stars, regardless of their nationality or team.

When football transcends the pitch

This phenomenon is fascinating from a cultural perspective. It reveals the extent to which football permeates identity and everyday decisions in countries where this sport is practically a religion. Peru, with enormous football passion, has transformed its civil registries into a living reflection of its sporting idols.

It is not merely a passing fad: these names will be engraved in identity documents for life. Those 91 Erling Haalands registered in Peru will carry that name for decades, converted into living tributes to a striker whom, presumably, many of them will never see play live.

After all, the history of football is not only written in great stadiums with goals and titles. It also leaves an indelible mark in the most everyday places: civil registry offices, where thousands of parents make the decision to name their children after their idols. What will those children say when they turn eighteen and discover they share the exact name with a global football star?