Chinese comedian, not Haaland: how a fake video deceives social media users

Misinformation on social media and key events in football

According to Главком: A video is gaining popularity online, allegedly showing Manchester City striker Erling Haaland eating fast food in a cheap diner. However, this is a fake: the video actually features a Chinese comedian whose face was swapped using deepfake technology (face swap) with that of the Norwegian footballer. The original was found in the Chinese part of the internet - there, the artist performed a sketch in which a restaurant employee snacks after their shift.

It should be noted for the Russian-speaking audience that such technologies are increasingly used to create viral content, and it is important to check sources before trusting what you see.

Main football news

In addition to this, significant changes have occurred in the football sphere:

• The Ecuadorian national team is without a head coach after being eliminated from the 2026 World Cup. Sebastián Beccacece left his position after a 0:2 defeat to Mexico. He had led the national team for two years.
• FIFA announced the admission of Russia's youth team to participate in the World Cup. The tournament for 15-year-old footballers will take place in the fall in Azerbaijan.

These events underscore how quickly the world of sports and technology is changing, influencing the perception of information. One social media user remarked:

“The further development of technology will enable the creation of not only entertaining content but also fake posts of a socio-political nature.”

The use of deepfakes calls into question the credibility of materials on social media, which can seriously affect public opinion about public figures and events. At the same time, personnel changes in football and the admission of teams to international competitions demonstrate the constant evolution of the sport and its ability to adapt to new realities.