Isabel Johansen: The WAG “so sick of football”: Inside Erling Haaland’s private home life

Last Updated on 16 April 2026

When people talk about Erling Haaland, they usually talk about goals. Records. Hat-tricks. But away from the spotlight, the Manchester City striker leads a far quieter life: one shared with a woman who knew him long before the Premier League fame arrived.

Isabel Haugseng Johansen isn’t your typical football WAG. A former footballer from the same small Norwegian town as Haaland, she prefers privacy over headlines and gaming nights over match analysis.

As Manchester City prepare for a huge clash with Arsenal that could shape the 2025/26 Premier League title race, the striker’s home life reveals a surprisingly normal story: one built on kebabs, Minecraft, and a partner who admits she’s “so sick of football.”

Isabel and Haaland: From Bryne teammates to partners in life

Long before Erling Haaland became one of the most feared strikers in world football, he and Isabel Haugseng Johansen were simply two teenagers growing up in Bryne, Norway.

Both played football for Bryne Fotballklubb, where their paths first crossed. Johansen, born in July 2004, was a promising forward in Bryne FK’s women’s team, making her debut at just 13 and scoring 23 goals in 36 matches. Football brought them together, but according to Haaland himself, she was the one who made the first move.

During a rare interview with Norwegian broadcaster NRK, Haaland laughed while recalling the early days of their relationship. “She was the one who messaged me first. She came after me,” he said.

Despite global fame, the couple’s relationship is remarkably low-key. Their free time looks more like a normal couple’s routine than the lifestyle associated with other City WAGs. Haaland revealed evenings at home involve cooking dinner together or playing video games.

“It’s going to be a little embarrassing for her that I say this,” Haaland joked. “But she likes video games. We play Minecraft together.” Other times, they return to their hometown of Bryne for a much simpler pleasure: ordering kebabs from their favourite local spot.

The couple entered a new chapter in 2024 welcoming their first child, a son. Johansen briefly paused her football career after becoming a mother and now shares glimpses of family life, travel, and food on Instagram, where she has built a following of nearly 180,000 people.

Isabel reveals she’s ‘sick of football’ as City and Haaland prepare for crunch Arsenal fixture

Ironically, for someone whose life is intertwined with one of football’s biggest stars, Isabel Johansen isn’t particularly fond of watching the sport. Haaland admitted as much during a conversation with Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker on the podcast The Rest Is Football.

While discussing his love for watching matches, the striker revealed that his partner has reached her limit with the constant presence of football in their lives. “Yeah, I’m a football fan, so I watch all kinds of football,” Haaland explained.

One evening during dinner, he checked the TV schedule and spotted Manchester United facing West Ham. Naturally, he wanted to put the match on. Johansen had other ideas. “My missus said, ‘I’m so sick of football. We watch it all the time,’” Haaland recalled with a laugh.

His response was classic Haaland. “And I’m like, ‘Yeah, that’s the reason why we are sitting here.’” Despite her playful frustration with the game, Johansen remains one of Haaland’s biggest supporters: particularly when it matters most.

That will certainly be the case this weekend when Manchester City host Arsenal at the Etihad in what is one of the most defining matches of the ongoing title race. With City aiming to close the gap at the top of the table, Haaland’s goals could again shape the destiny of the season.