Norwegian soccer superstar Erling Haaland became one of the biggest personalities of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Now his face has turned up somewhere nobody expected — on hundreds of packages of cocaine seized in Ecuador.

Ecuadorian police say anti-narcotics officers discovered approximately 469 kilograms — more than 1,000 pounds — of cocaine hidden inside a truck near the Colombian border.

Authorities found 370 packages concealed inside a false compartment, with many carrying stickers featuring the face of the Norwegian striker.

Police have not suggested that Haaland has any connection whatsoever to the drugs. Criminal organizations are known to use images, logos and names of celebrities and athletes to identify shipments, producers or intended recipients.

The seizure took place near Tulcán, in northern Ecuador, following an anonymous tip. A woman carrying Colombian identification documents was arrested in connection with the operation.

Authorities estimated the cocaine would be worth approximately $842,000 on Ecuador’s domestic market, more than $11 million in the United States and nearly $20 million in Europe.

The unusual discovery comes after Haaland became one of the breakout stars of this summer’s World Cup, scoring seven goals in four matches for Norway and becoming a massive social media phenomenon along the way.

And apparently Haaland isn’t the first soccer superstar whose image has appeared on seized drugs. Lionel Messi’s face has previously been discovered on cocaine packaging as well.

Ecuador has become a major transit and distribution hub for cocaine produced primarily in neighbouring Colombia and Peru, with shipments moving through the country toward North America and Europe.

Haaland probably never imagined his World Cup popularity would travel quite this far.