Haaland Chant or Tiktok Sound? the Real Truth Behind the 'Hahaha Haha Ha' Meme
By Alexander Ross
Stadium chants are recycled artifacts. Supporters rarely invent melodies out of thin air; they seize infectious pop hooks and fit the names of their heroes into the syllabic gaps. When Erling Haaland arrived at Manchester City in the summer of 2022 and began scoring at a historic rate, breaking the Premier League single-season scoring record with 36 goals in 35 appearances, the Etihad Stadium stands needed a soundtrack equal to his ruthless efficiency.
Fans revived the 1979 Euro-disco hit "Moskau" by German pop group Dschinghis Khan. The track’s infectious refrain originally belted out hearty laughter paired with historical references. City fans retrofitted the lyrics: replacing the celebratory Russian references with "Ha-ha-ha, Haaland, hey!" The chant captured the player's imposing physical frame and robotic goal returns. The song was loud, repetitive, and intentionally goofy. Sung by tens of thousands inside packed arenas, it produced an eerie, thunderous wall of synchronized chuckles.
Football chants typically live and die within match broadcasts and fan pubs. This one broke containment. Smartphone recordings of away-day crowds chanting the chorus flooded YouTube and Reddit football communities throughout late 2022 and 2023. The rhythm proved uniquely sticky. Even viewers with zero interest in the Premier League found the metric staccato of the laugh stuck in their heads.
Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.
