MANCHESTER – In what was supposed to be the most joyous moment of Erling Haaland’s life, the football world has been rocked by an emotional rollercoaster that nobody saw coming.
At 09:17 GMT this morning, the 25-year-old Norwegian striker posted a black-and-white photograph on Instagram showing his hand cradling a tiny foot. The caption read simply: “Welcome to the world, Vincent Haaland. Named after the man who made this city believe anything is possible. 18.11.2025.”
The football universe erupted. Vincent – an unmistakable tribute to club legend Vincent Kompany, the captain who lifted the Premier League trophy in 2012, 2014, 2018 and 2019, and who remains Haaland’s personal idol. Sources close to the couple say Haaland had the name chosen “the second the test turned positive,” telling friends, “If it’s a boy, he carries the name of the man who taught me what it means to be City.”
For ninety breathless minutes, Manchester was celebrating. The Etihad’s big screens flashed “Welcome Vincent” during morning training. Kompany himself posted a tearful voice note: “Brother, I’m speechless. Honoured doesn’t even begin to cover it.”
Then, at 10:49 GMT, Isabel Haugseng Johansen shattered the euphoria with a second post that instantly became the most heart-wrenching moment in Premier League history.
A second photo – this time from inside a neonatal intensive care unit in Oslo’s Rikshospitalet – showed their newborn son surrounded by wires and tubes, a tiny oxygen mask covering his face. The caption, written through visible tears, read:
“Our beautiful Vincent fought so hard to meet us, but he arrived earlier than anyone expected and is now in critical but stable condition. He has a serious lung complication and will need specialist care for weeks, maybe months. Please respect our privacy and send every prayer you have. We love him more than words.”
Medical sources confirm the baby was born prematurely at 29 weeks via emergency C-section after Isabel suffered sudden pre-eclampsia during what had been a routine check-up in Norway. The infant weighs just 1.1 kg (2.4 lbs) and is currently on a ventilator in the NICU.
Haaland has cancelled all commitments indefinitely and is refusing to leave the hospital. One teammate who visited told reporters outside: “I’ve never seen Erling cry like that. He keeps saying ‘I just want my little Vinny to breathe on his own.’”
As the football world unites behind #VinnyStrong, the Kompany name has taken on a meaning far greater than any trophy. The captain who once told Manchester “Never give up” now has a three-day-old namesake fighting for every breath.
The Haaland family has asked for privacy, but one thing is certain: a new City legend already carries the heaviest shirt of all – and the entire sky blue half of Manchester is holding its breath with him.
