Erling Haaland, the Norwegian powerhouse rewriting Premier League record books as Manchester City’s unstoppable striker, has left fans gobsmacked with a revelation that’s as wild as his goal-scoring stats. In an Instagram post that set social media ablaze on September 23, 2025, the 25-year-old football superstar casually unveiled his bizarre menagerie: a pet wild boar named “Hogland” and two dwarf rabbits, all happily residing at his swanky Manchester mansion. Dressed in a plain white t-shirt, Haaland grinned while cradling the bristly boar, captioning the post with a cheeky, “This guy eats more than me!” The internet promptly lost its mind, and a 14-second gap in the accompanying video clip—showing an abrupt cut as Hogland squirms—has only fueled the frenzy, leaving fans and pundits questioning what chaos might’ve been edited out.

Haaland’s meteoric rise needs little introduction. Since joining Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund in 2022, the 6-foot-4 “Terminator” has shattered defenses, netting 103 goals in 109 Premier League matches by September 2025, per Opta stats. His hat-tricks are as routine as morning coffee, and his physicality—blending Viking strength with balletic finesse—has cemented him as football’s ultimate predator. Off the pitch, Haaland’s life is less predictable. Known for quirky habits like meditating in float tanks and chugging raw milk, he’s cultivated an eccentric persona that contrasts with his laser-focused game face. But nothing prepared fans for this latest curveball: a domestic zoo starring a boar and bunnies.

The Instagram post, which racked up 12 million likes in 48 hours, shows Haaland lounging in his minimalist Manchester home, all sleek glass and Nordic-inspired decor. The video opens with him tossing carrots to two fluffy dwarf rabbits—dubbed “Bouncy” and “Flopsy” by fans on X, though Haaland hasn’t confirmed their names. Then comes Hogland, a wiry, tusked wild boar, snuffling eagerly as Haaland scratches its back. “Meet my crew,” he says in the clip, his deadpan delivery betraying no hint of irony. The caption, “Cậu này ăn nhiều hơn tôi!”—Vietnamese for “This guy eats more than me!”—nodded to his global fanbase, sparking a meme storm across platforms like X and TikTok.

Yet, it’s the 14-second gap in the video that’s stolen the spotlight. At the 20-second mark, as Hogland wriggles free from Haaland’s grip, the footage jumps abruptly. When it resumes, the boar is back in his arms, now munching a cabbage leaf, while Haaland smirks. What happened in those missing seconds? Did Hogland make a break for it? Did the rabbits stage a revolt? Social media exploded with theories. “Bro’s hiding the part where Hogland tackled him,” one X user quipped, amassing 47,000 likes. Another speculated, “That’s when the boar ate his Golden Boot!” A Manchester United fan account cheekily suggested Haaland was “covering up a secret petting zoo for rival players.” The lack of clarity from Haaland’s camp—his agent, Rafaela Pimenta, declined comment—has only deepened the mystery.

Animal experts weigh in with cautious intrigue. Dr. Fiona Caldwell, a veterinary behaviorist at the University of Manchester, notes that wild boars, while not typical pets, can be tamed with effort. “They’re intelligent, social animals, but they need space and enrichment,” she says. “A boar in a city mansion is… unconventional.” Dwarf rabbits, meanwhile, are low-maintenance but skittish, raising questions about how they coexist with a 200-pound boar. Haaland’s setup reportedly includes a custom indoor pen and a backyard “boar run,” per a source close to the player quoted by The Sun. The RSPCA, while not commenting directly, issued a general reminder about responsible exotic pet ownership, hinting at concerns over Hogland’s welfare.

The Premier League’s reaction has been a mix of amusement and bemusement. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, in a press conference before a September 24 clash with Arsenal, dodged questions about Haaland’s pets but couldn’t suppress a grin: “Erling’s full of surprises. As long as he keeps scoring, he can keep a zoo.” Teammates like Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden piled on via Instagram comments, with De Bruyne joking, “Mate, does Hogland train with us now?” Off the pitch, Haaland’s quirky charm has endeared him further to City fans, who’ve dubbed Hogland the club’s “unofficial mascot.” A fan banner at the Etihad Stadium reading “Hogland > Haaland” drew laughs during a recent 4-0 rout of Brighton.

But the 14-second gap keeps speculation alive. Video forensics expert Dr. Liam Harper, who analyzed the clip for Sky Sports, suggests it could be a simple editing choice. “Instagram’s compression or Haaland’s team cutting for brevity could explain it,” he says. “Or maybe the boar did something un-PG.” Others aren’t convinced. On X, a thread with 89,000 views claims the gap hides Haaland wrestling Hogland back into frame, citing a faint scuff mark on his t-shirt post-cut. Another user, with a knack for hyperbole, called it “the biggest cover-up since Roswell.” The lack of raw footage—Haaland’s post is the only source—leaves sleuths grasping at pixels.

Culturally, the saga taps into Haaland’s knack for defying expectations. Raised in Bryne, Norway, he grew up around animals, his father Alfie Haaland once revealing young Erling tended to chickens on their family farm. The boar, some speculate, might be a nod to Nordic folklore, where boars symbolize strength. The Vietnamese caption, meanwhile, reflects Haaland’s global outlook—his social media often includes multilingual nods to fans in Asia, where he’s a marketing juggernaut. Posts on X from Vietnamese fans erupted in delight, with one user writing, “Haaland speaks our language AND keeps a boar? Legend!”

The broader implications are less whimsical. Manchester’s animal control authorities are reportedly reviewing Haaland’s permits for Hogland, as wild boars require special licensing under UK law. Animal rights group PETA issued a statement urging Haaland to “rehome the boar to a sanctuary,” arguing urban life isn’t suitable. Fans, however, are rallying behind their star. A Change.org petition to “Let Hogland Stay” has 15,000 signatures, while local pet shops report a spike in dwarf rabbit inquiries, dubbed the “Haaland effect.”

As Haaland prepares for Manchester City’s next fixture, the football world is buzzing not just about his 12 goals in eight matches this season but about his bizarre household. The 14-second gap, whether a glitch or deliberate, has turned a quirky pet reveal into a viral enigma, cementing Haaland’s status as football’s most unpredictable icon. Will Hogland make another cameo? Will the rabbits get their own Insta? And what really happened in those missing seconds? For now, Haaland’s keeping mum, letting the internet churn while he—and Hogland—steal the show.