How two ‘humble’ landscapers caught Erling Haaland’s eye

Two Staffordshire landscapers earned a day off work after Manchester City striker Erling Haaland responded to their viral social media challenge. Shane Hassall made a video asking colleague Wade Taylor for time off to go karting, agreeing to the condition that the clip achieved 100,000 views and a comment from Haaland. The video surpassed 16 million views, prompting the Norwegian international to reply with messages wishing them well.

Following the viral exchange, TeamSport in Burslem offered Maple Landscapes a complimentary go-karting session. Taylor and Hassall revealed that their day-to-day work remains unchanged despite the online attention. The pair are now planning a new challenge to raise money for BBC Children in Need, aiming for 500,000 likes and a comment from England captain Harry Kane.